Life Can Be
by SpringHiller09
Summary: Bella and Jasper meet one fateful summer. Before Bella's junior year of high school, and before Jasper is shipped overseas. They fall in love, but sometimes love isn't enough to stop reality like so many people think.
1. Prologue: You're Eyes Whisper

**Prologue: You're Eyes Whisper**

**Bella POV**

"Babe, you almost ready?" Edward asked from the doorframe of our bedroom. I turned to him, and smiled. He was wearing his ridiculously bright, pink Polo, with his tan khaki shorts. "What?"

"Why are you wearing that?" I laughed as he came up and hugged my waist.

"I don't want to get lost." He giggled, kissing the back of my neck and pulling away so I could finish the last minute packing.

Edward and I met three years ago at the CD store. He was the charming clerk, and I was the klutzy girl who knocked over an entire rack of CD's. Turning beat red as someone on the intercom announced there had been a spill of CD's that needed to be picked up. Mortified, I ducked away behind another rack of CD's and watched as he came out, and bent down and began picking up the mess I'd made.

I was wonderstruck immediately. His beautiful bronze hair looked like he hadn't done anything when he woke up, his green eyes were perfect and bright, and from what I could see, he took care of himself. I chickened out of saying anything to him, and continued to hide as he picked every CD up, and then watched as he disappeared behind the door labeled '_**EMPLOYEE'S ONLY**_'

But, it was my lucky day when I walked to the counter to make my purchase and he was the one on check out duty.

"Did you find everything okay?" He asked as he scanned the barcodes.

"Yeah." I whispered. "It's very organized here." I said without thinking, sounding like a complete idiot. I felt my cheeks begin to turn pink, and when he laughed, I knew I was completely red.

"Thanks." He laughed. "I helped the owner organize everything. It was a real dump before."

"Really?" I asked. "I just moved here a few weeks ago, so I don't know much about anything."

"Oh, this place only opened three years ago, but since CDs have been outlawed or something, it wasn't that great of a place. He was barely staying in business."

"I can't imagine this place being a dump." I mused, looking around the small, but nice store. It wasn't very big, but it was big enough for all the CDs he sold. There was a small area in the front of the store where people could listen to samples of the CD's they wanted to buy, and a small area set aside for iTunes gift cards and things of that nature.

"Oh trust me, it was." He laughed. "But, I needed a job so desperately that I agreed to work for only five bucks an hour."

"Five dollars?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "Like I said, the man was barely able to support himself."

"So, what changed?"

"Well, for starters, he only sold old school music." He said, rolling his eyes. "That didn't help him much. I finally convinced him to sell newer CD's along with the old ones and that alone got more business for him."

"Then you wove your magic wand and this happened?" I asked, gesturing to the store.

"Pretty much." He laughed. "Once he actually began making money so he could pay me what I deserved, and for extras, he gave me the job of a make-over."

"You did a good job."

"Thanks." He smiled, handing me my bag. "My mom's an interior designer...she basically did all this. I just helped. You going to UIC"

"Yeah." I smiled, praying he went there too.

"It's a great school." He commented. "Freshman year was great.

"You go there too?" I asked, trying to hide my excitement.

"Yeah. I'll be a sophomore this year. I can show you around if you want.

"That...would be great. Thank you." I said as I picked up the bag and began walking out of the store.

"No problem. And, enjoy _Celebration Rock_!" He called after me, making me stop in my tracks and turn towards him. "I saw you knock that rack over...and the only good album on that rack _is Celebration Rock_. I didn't take you for a Mac Miller kind of girl." He smiled.

"What are you thinking about baby?" He asked as I closed my suitcase.

"Just...about how we met." I blushed. Even after two years, I still blushed like an idiot in front of him...all the time.

"You mean, the one time you being a klutz came in handy?" He joked and I jibed his side with my elbow as I backed away from the bed.

Edward and I were flying down to Houston tomorrow so he could meet my father...for the very first time. My parents divorced when I was only four, and I never got to see my father that often. We've never been close, and the only real amount of time we spent together was the summer before my junior year, and that was the year before my mother moved me out of Texas when she got a job in Aurora, Illinois.

But, he was my father and he did have to meet Edward eventually. I figured now was the perfect time. We knew we were going to get married soon, but we weren't officially engaged yet and my father couldn't complain about not knowing him when I called to give him the good news. Plus, it was October, meaning the Texas air would be nice and cool.

"You ready for tomorrow?" I asked as we sat down on the couch together.

"I think so." He whispered, throwing his arm around my shoulder and turning on the TV. "I mean, I met your mother didn't I?"

"Yes." I agreed. He'd met my mother plenty of times, and that was not an easy task. My mother was protective of me. She always has been and always will be. There's nothing I can do to change her, and I wouldn't want to. Even though my father never did anything to purposefully hurt her, like cheating on her, he was never home and never paid much attention to her. After the divorce was final, she swore off men and didn't have another serious relationship until she met Phil my eighth grade year.

"But, meeting parents is always hard." He breathed. His parents were the nicest people I'd ever met, and he constantly reminded me on the drive over. But, it was nerve wracking, especially shaking his mothers hands. Boys always have special relationships with their moms, and girls always have special relationships with their fathers, even if they aren't very vocal relationships.

"It'll be fine." I shrugged.

"How do you know that?" He asked. "You said he was never around to meet the boys you dated."

"True." I agreed. He lived in Houston and after the divorce, my mother didn't want anything to do with him, and moved back home to Amarillo, nine and a half hours away from my father. "But, he's a reasonable man."

"Okay, Bells, no offense, but how well do you know your father?" He asked softly. "I mean, you said you've never really spent time with him. Only a few days after Christmas or for Easter."

"We spent a summer together."

"One summer." He pointed out.

"I know him enough." I nearly yelled. Edward did this kind of thing all the time and I was sick of it. "I may not be extremely close to him like you are with your dad, but I know him to know it'll be fine tomorrow."

"Okay." He whispered. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."

Our alarm went off bright and early the next morning, and it was hard to get out of bed. I had never been a morning person, Edward on the other hand, was able to jump out of bed immediately. He took the job of bringing our suitcases out to the car and then shook me until I got up out of bed.

I got up and dressed in a tank top and Sofies, slipping on a pair of flip-flops before leaving the apartment. It wasn't a very long drive to the airport and by the time we parked and made it through security, we had an hour to kill before our flight left. We grabbed breakfast, played each other in _Ruzzle_, and just sat in each other's arms.

"Flight 246 to Houston Texas will be boarding shortly." The stewardess announced. "Flight 246 to Houston will be boarding soon."

"You ready for this?" I asked one last time as boarding was called. I saw him close his eyes, and take a deep breath before turning to me.

"Yes." He nodded. "He's your family...he's my family too." He whispered, and I couldn't help but smile at him. Edward was just so...perfect. Even when he was dreading doing something, like meeting my father, he made it seem like it was the best thing he could do for himself. He loved me, and loved the people I loved just because.

"Wanna join the _Mile High Club_?" He laughed after we'd taken off.

"Yes." I answered seriously, causing him to cock his eyebrow. "But, not now."

"You little tease." He growled in my ears, giving me goosebumps. The flight wasn't long, only two and a half hours, and we had landed by dinner time. We went to baggage claim, and I sent my dad a text, saying we'd arrived. It didn't take him long to arrive, and it was finally time for the awkward part.

"Hi, dad!" I greeted, wrapping my hands around his neck.

"Hi, Bells." He whispered, giving me a tight squeeze. "How've you been?"

"Good." I said, turning around to see Edward who was standing with his hands smashed in his pockets. "Dad, this is Edward. Edward, this is my father, Charlie."

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Edward stated, holding his hand out. Charlie paused for a minute, almost looking like he was thinking if Edward was worthy of his handshake. Finally, he extended his hand, and tooks Edward's.

"You too." He said dryly. "Bella's told me a lot about you."

"She's said a lot about you too." Edward said as they let their hands drop. Edward and I jumped into the car after our bags had been put into the trunk, and the ride to his house was silent. No one knew what to say, since it was still awkward. I looked in the rearview mirror, and saw Edward fiddling his thumbs nervously.

We pulled the driveway, revealing the simple house Charlie lived in. Since it was only him, he'd moved out of the house I lived in when I was little and bought a small, bungalow. I smiled as I saw the flowers that lined the pathway to the door, and the curtains that hung in the living room. I had a feeling Charlie wasn't telling me something, but I didn't ask him about it and decided to just let him tell me on his own.

"So, Bella, you can have the room you normally have." He said as we walked inside. "Edward can have the guest room."

"Guest room?" I asked, trying to stifle my laugh. Even though I was twenty-two years old, he was still trying to keep me from sleeping in the same bed as my boyfriend.

"Yes. Guest room." He said sternly. "That won't be a problem?"

"Not at all, sir." Edward said, shaking his head and I saw the sweat forming on his brow.

"Come on, I'll show you upstairs." I said, grabbing his hand to pull him up the stairs. I brought him to the small guest room and he put his bag on his bed before walking to my room to put my bag down. "Sorry, I didn't think he'd make us sleep in seperate rooms."

"No problem." He smiled, pulling me into his arms. "He doesn't like me very much, does he?"

"He doesn't know you yet." I pointed out to him. "We may not have the closet relationship ever, but he's still protective. He'll warm up. I did." I smiled, earning myself a kiss.

"You didn't have to warm up to me." He told me. "You liked me right away."

"Cocky, are we?"

"No, but you've told me how easy it was to fall for me."

"Oh." I laughed, kissing him again and pulling out of his grasp and took his hand, pulling him down the stairs. "What are you doing, Dad?"

"Figuring out where to order from." He said as he pulled a pile of take-out menu's from a drawer. "You up for Chinese?"

"Dad, we're college kids." I pointed out. "We have too much Chinese food."

"Mexican?"

"Dad, we order in a lot." I finally just sighed. "Why don't I cook something for the three of us?"

"Bells, you're the guest."

"Yes." I agreed. "But, when was the last time you had a good meal?"

"Last week. A friend of mine came over."

"Fine, but I...we haven't had a good home cooked meal in weeks." I said. "Since finals just ended, it's been hectic and we...I haven't been able to cook."

"I...I mean if you want to." He said, pushing his hands into his pockets.

"I want to." I insisted. "Why don't you two sit and talk, and I'll go to the store to get...food."

"Why don't I just come?" Edward offered.

"No, you stay here." I whispered. "I won't be long."

"Here." Charlie offered, handing me his credit card. I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer so I graciously took the money from him. I walked outside and got into the car, and began driving the familiar road towards the store. However, I didn't turn onto the road with the store on it, instead I kept driving straight.

I drove down the familiar road and began to think back to that summer. The last and only summer I spent with him. The summer I'd fallen in love and lost love. I pulled onto the gravel road and stepped out of the car, making my way through the grass towards the place I never thought I'd come.

I sat down in the grass and just took a deep breath, smiling at the memories we'd made together. Kissing, holding each other, laughing together, and crying together as we said our final goodbye. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as the wind began blowing, blowing the flowers down on the ground in front of me.

"Hi, Jasper." I whispered, taking in the feeling of the wind on my skin. I opened my eyes and looked down at the head stone for the first time.

_**Jasper Daniel Cullen**_

_**October 13, 1989 - June 18, 2009**_

_**"Freedom is nothing but a chance to do better."**_

I wiped away the tears I'd begun to shed as I looked at the gray stone. We had a plan when we parted at the end of the summer. We planned to write to each other everyday, and he planned to come to Chicago while he was on leave. That was the summer everything changed for me.

The summer I fell in love with Jasper Cullen.


	2. In the Air

**Chapter One: In the Air**

* * *

**Bella POV**

**Five Years Earlier**

I sighed as I zipped the one of many suitcases I had packed. Two were going with me to Houston, the rest were going with my mother and Phil to Aurora, Illinois where I would spend the rest of high school. I was a junior with two more years to go, and she was dragging me out of my school, town, and even state for her new job. I was proud of her for getting the job she'd always dreamed of having, but I was also resentful towards her. The job couldn't have been in Amarillo.

"You about ready, kid?" Phil asked, popping his head inside. I rolled my eyes before turning towards him and nodding. "You need help?"

"Yeah, thanks." I sighed. I grabbed the lighter boxes and suitcases and helped Phil load them into the large U-haul truck we'd rented.

Phil and I spent the rest of the night hauling things into the truck, waiting for my mother to get home from packing up her office. She pulled into the driveway as Phil was closing the truck up.

"Hi, sweetie." She greeted, trying to be happy. Although she was happy to have her dream job, she was sad about leaving. Her entire family lived here and she was leaving again. She told me she was miserable living in Houston with my dad while they were married, being away from her father and sister was rough. She was devestated when the marriage ended, but used it as an excuse to move back home.

"Hey, mom." I sighed as we made our way inside. The three of us spent most of the night in silence, only talking when we needed to. They knew how I felt about leaving. I had friends, a boyfriend, a reputation. Amarillo was a clean state and it scared the shit out of me. I had lived here basically my whole life and I didn't want to be the new girl.

"I'm going over to Mike's." I said after we'd finished eating dinner. I grabbed my keys and jumped into my mother's car and just drove without any emotion. Mike and I hadn't been dating for very long, but I cared about him deeply. He was the first guy I'd kissed, the first guy I'd ever felt love for. We agreed to keep a long distance relationship, but we both knew it wouldn't work. It would be too hard.

I pulled into his driveway and took a deep breath before going to the front door. Mike had apparently been waiting in the living room and saw me pull up because I didn't even have to knock on the door.

"Hey." He whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. I pulled him outside and just sat on the porch swing with him. We sat in silence for a while, taking everything in. I took a deep breath, memorizing the familiar sent of the White Ash trees that lined the street, the smell of Mike's soft cologne radiating off his body. His touch.

"Hey, what's fifteen years?" He asked, trying to lighten to mood. I lifted my head up, giving him a week smile, trying to resist the tears I wanted to let fall. "Listen to me," He whispered, gripping my chin for my eyes to meet his. "We will make it these last two years. And, when we graduate, we're going to be together again."

"Two years is a long time, Mike." I told him. "I mean, we're only sixteen."

"What's age got to do with it?"

"I'm just saying, two years is a long time. Especially fifteen hours away."

"I thought we were going to try to make this work?" He asked, his head dropping to look at his feet. "I want to make this work."

"I do too." I whispered. "But, I think we need to be realistic about it." I sighed, sinking back into his side. We sat in silence for the rest of the time we were together, and it was a very tearful, painful goodbye. He held me tightly as I stood by the car, ready to get in and drive away. I felt his moistened cheeks on mine as he squeezed me tighter.

"I love you." He whispered. "No matter how much longer this works, I love you."

"I...I love you too." I whispered, smiling for the first time in a week. It was the first time we'd ever admitted that to each other, and it felt good to say. I knew we were sixteen, but I couldn't help it. I loved him. Deeply.

"You'll call me?" He asked as I opened the car door.

"Everyday." I smiled, leaning in for one more kiss. I slipped into the drivers seat, and wiped the tears that were streaming down my cheek. I watched Mike as I backed out of the driveway, and took a deep breath. I didn't want us to be over when we'd barely begun. I honked my horn as he sat down in the driveway where my car had just been.

My mom and Phil were watching a movie when I got home and paused as I walked into the living room, sitting down on the floor next to my mom. She sensed how upset I was and pulled me close to her, just letting me cry. She thought I was too young to be in such a committed relationship, but she supported me and let me be with Mike like I wanted to be.

"This'll work out, Bella." She whispered. "You'll see. You're enrolled in a great school, and we have a house in a really good neighborhood. There will be so many kids there you won't know what to do with yourself."

"I believe you, mom." I sighed. "But I don't want to make new friends. I wanna keep my old ones."

"And you will." She assured me. "But, change can be really good for you."

"I hope so." I sighed.

It was an early alarm the next morning. Five fucking in the morning. I got dressed and then, we headed out. I watched as my beautiful neighborhood faded away as were drove further and further away. This was where I grew up. This was where I met my best friend, had my first kiss, fell in love for the first time. I didn't want to be selfish, but hadn't I earned that right? I wasn't the one who asked to move...I wasn't the one who wanted this. My mother did.

But, my mother was everything to me and she wanted this job more than anything in the world. She'd been working at it for so long, and I couldn't be selfish. I had to suck it up, and put a smile on my face. Because, at the end of the day, my mother was the only thing that mattered. Phil turned onto the road that led up to the airport, and dropped my mother and I off at the front.

"I'll be circling around." He told her as he closed the trunk. "Text me when you're ready."

"Okay," my mother smiled up at him, giving him a quick peck on the lips. He came over and wrapped me up in his arms before getting back into the car.

"Call us, kiddo." He told me, winking.

"I will." I promised as he shut the door and drove off. I took a deep breath before I took one of my bags and walked inside to baggage check. Once everything was taken care of, my mother and I stood by the security line, unsure of what to say. This would be the first time I'd ever been away from my mother since I was...born...and I didn't like the thought. I was seventeen, but a complete mommy's girl.

"Okay, well text us when you board." She told me for the fifth time that morning. "And call when you get to Houston."

"I will, mom." I told her, dropping my carry on and wrapping my arms around her neck. "I'll miss you, mom."

"Oh, I'll miss you too, baby." She said, stroking my hair. After another five minutes, I knew I needed to get going or I might miss the plane. I got into line and watched as she made her way back outside. I took a deep breath as I placed my flip-flops and bag into the bins and walked through the body scanner. This was it. I was on my way to Houston. To spend the whole fucking summer with my father.

I loved the man. He was my father after all. We talked at least every two weeks, and he never missed a birthday or Christmas. He just wasn't ready for the family life, and I understood that. He did the best he could, and I was grateful I at least had that much. Mike's father had completely left him and his sister, Mallory, with their mother who left school to take care of Mallory. Mike said it took them years to get a stable income.

Once I made my way through security, I sent a text to both mom and dad, saying I was on my way to the gate. Waiting around for a plane was actually pretty borning. I got myself breakfast, played Tetris on my phone, and just read until the flight was called to board. Taking off was easier than I thought, and the whole flight was boring. We got a snack and drink, but by the time I go mine, we were being told to finish up what we had since we were about to land.

Once we landed, I followed the giant crowd to baggage claim. I was able to easily find my suitcases and then, I was set to call my father.

"Hello?" His gruff voice asked after only the second ring. "You land okay, Bells?"

"Yep." I answered happily. Even though we weren't super close, I loved my dad and was looking forward to this summer with him. "How much time you think? I got my bags already."

"Probably twenty minutes." He answered. "You gonna be okay til then?"

"I have my book." I laughed.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." He told me before hanging up. I sat down on one of the benches near the entrance, and opened my book. Just like he predicted, twenty minutes later, my phone was buzzing with a text saying he was here. I tucked my book away in my purse, and stood. But, being the klutz I was, ran into a huge mass of body and caused the person to drop of all his things.

"Oh, I am so sorry." I gushed, bending down to help him pick his things up. I looked up at him, and guessed him to be about twenty or so with gorgeous green eyes and short, brown hair.

"Don't worry about it." He told me kindly, handing me my book. "That's one of my favorites." He told me, pointing to my copy of Wuthering Heights.

"Mine too." I blushed. "I've read it about five times now. I'm Bella."

"Emmett." He smiled, shaking my hands. "Are you tourist or local?"

"Local tourist?" I laughed. "I'm spending the summer with my dad...so it'll be my home for three months."

"Good to know." He smiled as we walked out of the building. He looked down at his phone, and then back at me with an apologetic look. "My rides here. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, my dad is just circling around." I told him. He gave me a soft smile and then jumped into the car with who I assumed to be his mom and dad. My father came driving up just as his car pulled out and he got out to help me with my things.

"Hi, kiddo." He said, giving me a big, awkward hug. Neither my father and I were ones for gushy, public affection scene, but it had been years since I'd seen him last. "It's so great to see you, baby."

'It's good to see you too." I smiled, tightening my grip on him. I took everything in, trying to learn what made my father...him. He smelled of cheap cologne, and aftershave. Even though it was sweltering hot, he wore his trusty flannel with a pair of jeans shorts to match. I looked up and noticed his mustache was the same as always, and laughed, thinking about the pictured I'd seen of him without one.

"Let's get you home." He smiled, putting my bags in the trunk of his cruiser. I jumped in the passenger side, and he followed, turning on the car and pulling out of the space. "Here," He said, handing me what looked like a car charger. "For your music. Put what you want on."

"Thanks, dad." I smiled, plugging in my iPod and finding a song I knew we both loved.

"I see you still have my taste in music." He laughed. "Thank god."

"Mom isn't that bad."

"Who Let the Dogs Out, Bella." He told me, reminding me of one of my moms favorite songs. I almost cringed when he reminded me, and I gave up gracefully...she really did have horrible taste in music. "But, seeing as she somehow got a box full of my CDs, I know why you have such good taste."

"I told you I'd mail them back to you."

"I know." He nodded. "I wanted you to have them."

He pulled into the familiar looking home twenty minutes later. It was clearly a bachelor pad. Only a few bushes and trees lined the front yard, simple white blinds covered the windows, and I could see the huge ass TV sitting in the living room. Charlie helped pull my bags out from his trunk, and began taking them into the house. It didn't take all that long to get everything inside, and only my carry on remained in the car.

"I got one more in the car!" I called as I opened the front door to move outside. I unlocked the cruiser, and noticed the family next door having a small, family reunion. I smiled as what appeared to be two brothers embraced in a tight hug, patting each other hard on the back. I smiled as I grabbed my bag from the back seat, and stood to go back inside.

"Bella?" I heard a familiar voice ask. I turned around to see Emmett coming across the lawn. "Whoa, small world."

"It would seem that way." I laughed as we stood in front of each other. "So, you live next door."

"It would seem that way." He mocked. "Oh, bro. This is Bella. Bella this is my younger brother, Jasper." He said, introducing the other boy standing in the yard with him. He came closer to shake my hand, and I stopped breathing. His eyes were a beautiful shade of brown, his hair was a dirty blonde, and he had a slight scruff to his face.

"Nice to meet you." I whispered, tightening my grip on his hand.

"You too." He smiled, revealing his southern accent. Oh did my heartbeat rise when I heard his accent. Somehow, I'd never obtained one, even though I'd lived in Texas my whole life, and so had both my parents. "We should get inside, Em. Mama said dinner was almost ready."

"You're right." Emmett said as Jasper turned and made his way across the yard. "You aren't the only one."

"The only one what?"

"Who's thought my brother was hot." He smirked, making me choke. "It's a Cullen gene...I'm convinced."

"A...a gene?" I asked, stifling my laugh.

"My brother's good looking. His twin is good looking...and did you see my parents?" He asked. "They did real good when they decided to have kids."

"Oh, wow." I laughed.

"Well, I gotta go." He told me. "Mama really does have dinner on the table."

"Okay," I smiled.

"I'll see you around, Bella!" He called as he ran across the lawn and into his house. I went back inside and saw my father had covered the table in take-out menus.

"I normally order from here," He told me, pointing to a flyer labeled 'Cullen's Diner' "But, we can order from wherever."

"Cullen's sounds good." I told him, knowing he was a creature of habit. He ordered us our food and we sat in the living room while we waited for the food. Although we didn't talk during this wait, it wasn't awkward like I thought it would be. He watched his game. I read my book. We sat in peaceful silence. Forty minutes later, the doorbell was ringing and our food had arrived.

"They have awesome chicken salads." He commented as he handed me my meal. "I rarely get salad, but they make 'em worth getting."

"Good to know." I laughed as we sat down. He started talking to me about his job and what the teenagers did in Houston during the summer. Then went on to ask me the typical question. How school had been, how Mike was, how I liked Phil. the usual things. I cleaned up for us after we'd finished eating and decided I should get to know the lay of the land.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." I told him as he turned the game back on.

"Okay, you got your phone?"

"Yep." I told him as I escaped out the backdoor. Since I hadn't been here since he'd moved, I never got a chance to see the backyard before. It was beautiful. Not much landscaping, only a few bushes and trees, but down behind the house was a beautiful stream that spread across the entire neighborhood of houses.

"Pretty, isn't it?" I heard someone ask from behind me. I turned to see Jasper walking down the slight slope and stopped at the edge of the water. He sat down on the grass and slid off his shoes, dipping his feet into the water. "Come on, the water isn't dirty."

"Okay," I sighed, slipping my flip-flops off and putting my feet in the water. It was a bit chilly, but after a few seconds, you didn't even realize it. "It's quiet." I observed.

"Yeah, you wouldn't think Houston would be." He mused as he looked up at the sky. "But, they did name this part of the city the quietest."

"Good to know." I laughed. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke up again.

"How long are you here for?"

"The summer." I mumbled. "Mom got a new job up in Illinois and I decided I'd spend time with my dad before I moved ever further away from him."

"Good for you." He told me. "I'm glad your here."

"You are?" I asked. "You don't even know me."

"No, but every neighborhood could use a new kid, right?" He asked. "I'm just saying...this part of town gets pretty lame. I'm glad we have a new toy."

"Well, I'm glad I could help." I laughed. The two of us spent the next hour and a half just...talking. We talked about anything and everything. His family, my mom and Phil, the move, his love in the military. Literally everything. "I should be going up."

"Yeah, same." He sighed. "Emmett was out studying abroad and this is the first time I've seen him since he left last August...my mom will be pissed if I don't spend every minute with him."

"Well, night, Jasper." I said, and I could feel my cheeks blushing.

"Bye, Bella." He called. "I'll be knocking at ten sharp!"

"Got it!" I laughed as I opened the backdoor.

"Who were you talking to?" My dad asked as I came and sat on the couch beside him.

"Jasper." I smiled, thinking back to the hour we'd just spent together.


	3. Take Time

**Chapter Two: Take Time**

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"Did you finally get his room cleaned up?" My mother asked me for the tenth time that day.

"Yes, mama." I sighed as I poured myself a bowel of cereal. "His room is just as he left it. A total mess." I laughed, and she hit me upside the head. Classic mama. "It's clean, mom."

"Good." She sighed. "He's been gone for a year...he doesn't have to know I let you use his room when he told me to not let you in."

"Mom, I've been sleeping there every year he's been away at school." I reminded her. "Besides, he can't expect me to not sleep in there. It's the biggest fu...freaking room in the dang house."

"It's still his until he moves out, Jazz." She kindly reminded me.

"Well, it isn't my fault I got gipped." I told her, crossing my arms. "I got the smallest room in the entire house. Just because I have a sister...I'm still older!"

"By five minutes." My father said as he walked into the kitchen, wearing his usual colored polo and khakis. "And, your room is smaller by like a square foot."

"Still smaller!" I protested.

"Quit your wining." Rosalie ordered me as she came into the kitchen and sat in her usual spot next to me. "Just be lucky Emmett's coming home and doesn't have a girl sitting next to him on the plane."

"That isn't lucky." I pointed out. "Especially not for Emmett."

"I will never understand why god gave me two boys, and only one girl." My mother joked as she poured herself her third cup of coffee. "Teenage boys are so..."

"Horny?" Rosalie asked, causing my father to choke. "What? It's true."

"Don't ever say that word again." My father scolded, causing Rosalie to blush. "So, what do you high school graduates have planned for the first day of summer?" He asked, changing the subject nicely.

"I was gonna go to the pool with Vera." Rosalie informed us, even though we all knew the answer. Her and Vera had gone to the pool on the first day of summer for the last five years. "Obviously."

"What about you, Jazz?" My mother asked. "You doing something with Peter?"

"We were gonna go down to the paintball course." I told her. "Get some extra practice so by the time we get there, they're going to have to promote us to captain or something."

"I still can't believe you're letting him join the army." Rosalie cried. Rosalie was five years younger than me, and we were very protective of each other. WE fought more than Emmett and I did, but she was my other half, Through and through. She was didn't know what to do with herself when I talked to them about going into the army after I graduated.

"Your brother did what we asked of him." My father shrugged. I had met their terms on making honor roll every year, and I looked and applied to three colleges just like they asked me to. I took college into consideration, but found I didn't want to sit in a lecture hall for four more years. I wanted to see the word. Do what was right. Joining the army was the thing I'd wanted to do since I saw _Forrest Gump_ when I was ten years old.

"Well, you be careful today," My mother warned. "And please be home in time to get showered and cleaned up before your brother gets here."

"Yes, mama." I sighed as I ran water around my bowel. "What time does his flight get it?"

"It's scheduled for one o'clock." She told me. "But, knowing Emmett, he'll miss his flight or something."

"Hey, maybe he got a little bit smarter over there." Rosalie joked as she walked upstairs. "Italy was a who new world for him, mom.

I stuck around for another ten minutes before grabbing my paint balling gear and heading out. I took a deep breath as I threw the duffle bag into the backseat. Summer. The best time of years. The air was arm and crisp. No teachers, or smelly school. The girls were walking around in their short shorts. And, I was nearly nineteen...I could do whatever the fuck I wanted to.

I pulled into the parking lot and found Peter easily...he wore the same thing every time.

"Hey, man." He greeted as I threw him my duffle bag with all the paintballs in it. We suited up, loaded our guns, and went into the fenced off area. Both Peter and I had been playing paintball since we were old enough...ten years old. It was a thing most of the kids in our school seemed to do, but as we got oder and they got hornier, they stopped coming and now it was a small group of regular players. Petter, Riley and I. Diego, Felix, and Bree...the only girl who seemed to like getting down and dirty.

"You're going down!" Bree laughed as we waited for the game to start.

"As if, girly girl." I laughed. She was the biggest tom-boy our school had...and talked to one girl...and that was his sister.

"You're more of a girl than I am!" She laughed.

"Hey!" Peter called from our side. "You girls gonna talk or play?"

"PLAY!" I yelled as I charged down the hill, towards my favorite hiding spot. No one ever seemed to find me...and I'd known about this since we started playing. The six of us played a round of six games, and we dominated each time. We were that good.

"You know, this really isn't fair." Felix complained as we removed our gear as we sat at the benches. "You two are going into the army...you've been training for this."

"No, this is our training." I laughed as I took a swig of water. After I was cooled down enough, I decided it was time to head home if I was gonna get showered in time.

As I was getting out of the shower, I heard an earth shattering scream coming from Rosalie downstairs. I rushed to the top of the stairs, bat in hand, only to find she was screaming of excitement.

"He's home!" She squealed as she opened the door and ran outside. I shook my head, reminding myself to hit her for scarring the shit out of me, and went to get dressed. When I got outside, Rosalie was clinging to Emmett's neck, and he was holding her tightly. He was her big brother. Hurt her, and he promised to kick you ass...and Emmett never broke a promise.

He let go, and looked over at me. He made a whole, big dramatic scene...huffing and rolling his eyes and told me to give him a hug. We gave the typical man hug, not very tight, and slapping each other on the back, but we knew what it meant. My brother was my best friend, and I hated him being away for an entire year. Damn Study Abroad program.

"How was Italy?" Rosalie asked. "Was it beautiful? Warm? Hot? Cold? How was the food? Did you gain weight?"

"Rosalie!" My mother laughed, and I saw Rosalie turn a pale shade of pink.

"Sorry...but I know I'd gain weight if I spent a year there." She shrugged.

"I gained a bit, but I ran most of what I ate off." Emmett laughed. "It was actually an amazing country to take a good, long run."

"Well, we can here all your stories later." My father said, slapping him on the back. "Right now, dinners almost ready."

"Good." Emmett laughed. "I loved italian food...but I'm ready for a nice, southern meal. What are we havin' mama?"

"Jambalaya and Gumbo." She said, smiling. It had always been Emmett's favorite.

"Fuck yeah!" He said excitedly. "Whoops."

"You'd better get used to not swearing all the time again." I laughed. My mother was not a fan of cursing, and when we were younger, got seriously punished for swearing in front of her...especially if we said fuck.

"Sorry, mama."

"It's okay, Em." She smiled. "Just...don't let it happen again."

"Deal." He said and Rosalie gave him another tight hug before my father grabbed some of his bags and carried them inside. However, Emmett was not the one to be blessed with grace, and stopped walking right in front of me, making me run into his back.

"Emmett?" I asked, rubbing my head. "What the hell?"

"Bella?" He asked, looking over at Chief Swan's house. I glanced over at where he was looking, and there was a beautiful brunette girl standing in the driveway, holding an oversized purse. "Whoa, small world."

"It would seem that way." She laughed, glancing up at me. "So, you live next door."

"It would seem that way." He mocked. "Oh, bro. This is Bella. Bella this is my younger brother, Jasper." Emmett introduced, and I held out my hand for a shake. She gladly accepted, and I took that time to look at her. She had beautiful, chocolate eyes, pale skin, and freckles. A lot of them.

"Nice to meet you." She whispered, tightening her grip on my hand.

"You too."I smiled, trying my best to hid the blush I felt coming on. "We should get inside, Em. Mama said dinner was almost ready."

"You're right." Emmett sighed as I turned to go back inside. Once I sat down, Emmett came through the door, and sat down in the usual spot, adjacent from me and across from Rosalie. The three of us fought like crazy, but when it came down to it...we were there for each other. I was the only one allowed to mess with them and vice-versa...if you tried...you were beaten to a pulp.

"So, who was the girl you were talking to outside, Emmett?" My mom asked as she put the food on the table.

"A girl I met at the airport." He said digging right in. "She knocked into me..and I dropped all my stuff."

"I didn't even know the chief had a daughter." Rosalie said, as she sat down with her glass of water.

"Neither did I." My father said. "But, he was married once. I guess thats where she came from."

"Unless he had some one night stand and didn't even know about her until now." I mused.

"What is this?" My mother asked. "Gossip time at the Cullen's?"

"It's always gossip time at the Cullen's." Emmett reminded her, earning him the eye roll. The next half hour was Emmett talking about how grand Italy. I watched as Rosalie sat and listened in jealousy, and my mom and dad listened with true interest.

"It was like...the best place I'd ever been to!" Emmett gushed. "Mama, you have to make Dad take you. You'd fu...flipping love it!"

"Well, we were saving that for a very special anniversary." My winked at my mother, who only blushed. Even after twenty-three years of marriage, they still looked at each other newlyweds. My father still had the power to make my mother blush, and my mother still left my father speechless on nights she was dressed up. It was fucking adorable, and I knew why my brother and sister and I ended up the way we did. Upbringing. It really was everything.

We weren't perfect in school and god knows Emmett and I got our fair share of detentions. But, we'd always kept our grades up, always made the honor roll, and all three of us were accepted into all the schools we'd applied to. Rosalie wasn't pregnant, Emmett and I weren't getting anyone pregnant. We made our parents proud, and I was very proud to be the son of Carlisle and Esme Cullen.

"You wanna start up at the diner next week, Emmett?" My father asked later that night as he tried doing the schedule. My mom and dad ownen a small, but very successful diner in the town. It was constantly packed, and had even been chosen for that Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Drives. All three of us began working there when we were fifteen as a host/hostess and worked out ways up. Rosalie helped my mom in the kitchen, Emmett managed the dining room, and I helped dad in the office, behind the scenes.

"Ahh, yeah." He nodded. "Next week should be good. I'm just glad the place didn't burn down without me."

"Trust me Emmett, we weren't even close to a single fire the entire time you were away." Rosalie snorted. He was a smart kid, but he couldn't work in a kitchen to save his life. "Mom was pretty stoked.

"Hey, I've only started..two!" He defended.

After another hour, the sun had firmly set and I decided it was a good time to do my nightly stroll. When freshman year started, it was fucking stressful as hell. I wasn't used to such a work load and the resposiblity at the diner. I started taking walked around the stream every night, and even when things calmed down, I continued to do it.

"I'm going outside!" I called, opening the backdoor and walking outside. I stopped in my tracks and smiled as I noticed the figure standing in front of the stream.

"Pretty, isn't it?" I asked, causing her to jump slightly. I smiled at her as I sat down near the water, and removed my shoes to dip my feet in the water. "Come on, the water isn't dirty."

"Okay,"She sighed, removing her flip-flops and sitting next to me. "It's quiet." she mused.

"Yeah, you wouldn't think Houston would be." I sighed. "But, they did name this part of the city the quietest."

"Good to know." I laughed.

"How long are you here for?" I asked after a few seconds of silence.

"The summer." She mumbled. "Mom got a new job up in Illinois and I decided I'd spend time with my dad before I moved ever further away from him."

"Good for you." I said. "I'm glad your here."

"You are?" She asked. "You don't even know me."

"No, but every neighborhood could use a new kid, right?"I asked. It was true. Houston was huge, but the community we lived in...not so much. "I'm just saying...this part of town gets pretty lame. I'm glad we have a new toy."

"Well, I'm glad I could help." She laughed.

"So, what kinda job did your mom get?" I asked, trying to create conversation. She looked straight ahead. I could tell how upset she was about the new job and the moving. I knew how she felt. It sucked moving. I was young, only six, but leaving all my friends sucked...and I was only six.

"She got a company at a big law firm up there." She told me. "She's been working at this all her life. And when she had me, she slowed down. She began working for a smaller, local company in Amarillo. But, she got the job...and I had to tell her to take it."

"Really?"

"My moms my best friend." She shrugged. "I knew she didn't want to take it cause she didn't wanna move me. I knew she'd be unhappy."

"Wow." I sighed. I loved my parents, but I don't think I could do that for them. "You're a good kid."

"Tell me that after I have no friends." She laughed. We sat in silence for a few minutes before she began a conversation. She had no trouble talking to me, even if she had just met me. When I met new people, I was pretty awkward and they had to do all the talking. But, Bella just kept asking me questions and it was really easy to talk to her.

"Look, theres an old lake a few blocks from here." I told her. "No one ever goes there...we're pretty sure we're the only ones who know about it. Anyway, my brother, sister and I are going tomorrow with a coupld of our friends. You should come."

"Really?" She asked, surprised I'd even be asking her that. "That'd be...really great."

"Good." I laughed. "Pick up is at ten. Be ready."

"Will do." She laughed and we sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before I looked down at my watch, and realized I should be getting back. Emmett and I had way too much to catch up on.

"I should be going up." She suddenly said, beating me to it.

"Yeah, same." I sighed. "Emmett was out studying abroad and this is the first time I've seen him since he left last August...my mom will be pissed if I don't spend every minute with him."

"Well, night, Jasper." She whispered as we began to part ways.

"Bye, Bella." I called. "I'll be knocking at ten sharp!"

"Got it!" She laughed as I opened the backdoor. I walked inside, feeling weightless for some reason. Emmett came out of no where, bombarding me with questions before the door was even closed.

"Damn!" I screamed. "Where the hell did you come from?"

"Mama." He smiled, and I rolled my eyes. Italy was great for him and all...but he was the same Emmett he was when he left. "Anyway...what were you two talking about?"

"Nothing really." I sighed, grabbing a can of Pepsi. "Just, why she's here. Other stuff."

"You gonna...fuck her?" He whispered after he'd looked around, making sure mom wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Just met her five hours ago, Em." I sighed.

"So?" He asked. "You...fucked...Maria within hours of meeting her?"

"We were super drunk." I pointed out. "And, Bella doesn't seem like the girl to get waisted and then sleep with someone she barely knows."

"I don't know." Emmett shook his head. "Looks can be deceiving, bro."

"Whatever." I sighed. "Anyway, I invited her to come to the lake with us tomorrow. That cool?"

"Sure is." He laughed before walking upstairs. I finished my time with my parents in the living room before going upstairs for bed. Just as I was about to turn off the lights, I looked over to the Swan house and saw Bella brushing her beautiful brown hair. She glanced up and smiled at me before closing the curtains. I sighed in pure glee as I got under the covers.

I was not a guy to have real relationships, but when I thought about having one with Bella...I got all giddy inside...not that I would ever tell my brother that.


	4. In My Sights

**Chapter Three: In My Sights**

* * *

**Bella POV**

"So, where exactly are you going?" Charlie asked the next morning as I packed a bag for the day.

"I'm not really sure." I shrugged, walking past him to get the sunscreen. "It's some lake a few blocks over...that's what Jasper told me anyway."

"Jasper." He snorted. "You couldn't have made any girl friends?"

"I'm sure I will." I assured him. "But, yes. I met guy. Besides, I have a boyfriend...nothing will happen."

"So, you shouldn't be hanging around a bunch of boys at some lake." He told me. "What if your top comes off?"

"Then my top comes off." I shrugged. Sure, it would be embarrassing, but I was klutzy. I was used to it. I looked over at the clock, and just as it changed to 10:00 AM, there was a loud knock on my front door. Charlie sighed as he stepped out of the way, letting me answer it. Sure enough, Jasper along with Emmett was standing on my front step, smiling like dorks.

"Hey," I said, moving aside. "You can come in. I just have to grab a water." I told them. I could feel Charlie's eyes on them as I moved to the kitchen, and I made it as quick and painless as possible. "I'll have my phone, dad. I'll call you if you need me."

"Okay, don't be too late." He told me as we closed the door. We walked across the yard to the Cullen's driveway, and got inside a huge Jeep Wrangler. I hopped in the backseat where there was already a pretty brunette girl, and I assumed she was their sister.

"God I missed my baby!" Emmett laughed, kissing the steering wheel. "Italy was awesome...but the cars there were so damn tiny. I never had any room to stretch out."

"Maybe if you quit eating..." The girl laughed as Emmett reached around and slapped her knee. "Oh, I'm Rosalie by the way."

"Bella." I smiled at her.

"Who else are we picking up?" Rosalie as we pulled out of the driveway.

"Just Ali." Jasper told her. "The rest are meeting us there." We drove for about three minutes before turning into another driveway. A shorter, light haired girl came babarrelling out the front door as Rosalie unbuckled and slid over to the middle. The girl jumped in the car, and she was like a six year old going to her first sleepover. Overly excited and smily.

"Hi, Ali." Emmett greeted as she fastened her seat belt and he pulled out of the driveway. "You ready to get your summer on?"

"Always!" She said. "I'm Alice...but everyone calls me Ali because Alice is an ugly name and I hate it." She told me, a bit too fast.

"Bella. I'm living with my dad for the summer." I told her.

"Yep, lucky us." Emmett winked. "Ali's only a senior...she's the youngest of us all."

"And what do you have to say?" Ali asked. "Grandpa?" She insulted and he gave her the middle finger from his seat. Rosalie and Jasper began to snicker...I was missing something.

"Twenty is not old!" He defended.

"Maybe, but twenty-one sure is."

"Hey! Not until July!" He said as he turned around in his seat when we were at a stop sign. "I missed you." He whispered, stroking her knee.

"Alice and Emmett are secretly dating." Rosalie whispered in my ears. "Well, secretly from her parents...everyone else knows." And that was what I was missing before. I smiled as I saw the look he gave her. He just didn't seem like the...romantic boyfriend...at least not when I was around him. The drive to the lake didn't take much longer, and from the looks of it, we were the last ones there.

There weren't many, maybe seven others. They were all setting up coolers, laying towels on the ground, and two of them were pulling a grill out of a pick-up truck.

"You didn't forget the burger meat this time, did you Jake?" Emmett asked after he'd come up from air.

"No, I didn't ass whole!" The kid called as he pulled out packages of meat and waving them in the air. "It's not like you and Ali will be eating...your mouths are going to be busy the entire time."

"Fuck yeah they are!" He called as he bent down again and started their make-out session again. I shook my head as I looked away and followed Jasper down closer to the water. He stopped in front of three of the guys who were sorting through the coolers.

"Guys, this is Bella." He introduced. "Bella, this is Riley, Felix, and Paul."

"Hi, I smiled, giving them a small wave. Each one of them was thoroughly ripped, and you could tell that they spent a lot of time lifting.

"Bella's Chief Swan's daughter." Jasper explained.

"So, if we get caught when you're here...we won't get in trouble?" Riley asked, before I gave him a look of confussion. "Drinking?"

"Oh, I'm not sure." I told him. "This is the first time I've spent with him since I was about...four."

"Damn." He sighed, pulling out a bottle of water. Jasper pulled me along and found a space of sand and dirt that wasn't wet yet and we put our stuff down. I pulled off my coverup and I felt Jasper's eyes on my as I folded it and put it in my bag. I glanced over my shoulder and he quickly looked away, trying to pretend like he hadn't been looking at me.

After a few minutes, everything just fell into place. Since I was the awkward new girl, I hung back and observed. Rosalie was talking to one of the girls, Jasper and Paul were wrestling, and Emmett still had his tongue in Alice's mouth.

"Bella!" I heard Rosalie call. "You up for some volleyball?" She asked, holding up a ball and pointing the net they'd just put up. I nodded and made my way over to where the net was set up.

"You can be on my team." Jasper said, pulling my arm. "My team always wins."

"Not today, little bro." Emmett laughed as he and Alice walked over to us. "Emmett's back."

"Yeah, and when have you ever been good at volleyball?" Jasper laughed. "Right...NEVER!"

"Yep." Emmett nodded. "I played real sports."

"You gotta get used to this." Rosalie whispered. "Jasper and I are only two years apart with Emmett. They're overly competative and compete about everything." She laughed. "When we were little, the always competed who could get to the kitchen faster _and_ who could finish breakfast first." Suddenly, a loud whistle blew and the ball was flying through the air.

I'd never really played sports...only softball. My hand-eye coordination wasn't terrible...but I was terrible at volleyball. I'd hit the ball out of bound more than anyone else playing, and there were multiple times I ended up bumping into someone on my team. Softball was a team sport, but most of is was solo.

"Sorry," I sighed after we'd all decided to call a quits. "I'm not a volleyball player."

"Neither are any of us." He shrugged as he took a swig of water. "We all just play for fun."

"You guys are way too good to just 'play for fun'." I laughed.

"We play here a lot."

"It isn't like you guys live in a small town where there's nothing to do," I pointed out. "You like in Houston...it's huge yet you guys all act like there isn't anything to do?"

"None of us are big on partying," He told me. "I mean we drink...a lot...when we're together, but we don't like going to parties and random clubs. It's not us. We all have a much better time, just drinking here than somewhere the cops are gonna bust us."

"Oh," I nodded as he handed me a water. About fifteen minutes later, the food was ready and we all huddled around the picnic table, gathering food, and then finding a place to sit. I sat down my Jasper since I still didn't know anyone who was there and since Emmett was busy with Alice. I couldn't imagine being away from the person you love for an entire year, but they waisted no time in making up for the year they lost. I smiled at them together. She was nestled in between his legs, and his head was lying on her shoulder.

"How long have they been dating?" I whispered to Jasper.

"Two years?" He said. "Almost three."

"Wow," I awwwed as I glanced over at them. "And, why do they have to keep it a secret from her folks?"

"Her parents are...classic southerns." He told me. "Like in The Notebook. Emmett just isn't good enough for her."

"That doesn't seem right."

"It's not." He told me. "Emmett's a really good guy. I mean, he's been with his fair share of girls, and has only had one other steady relationship before Alice. They dated for about six months and he was really good to her...acting just like he is with Alice."

"What happened?"

"She found out about all the girls he'd slept with." Jasper shrugged, taking a bite of his burgers. "She didn't...approve of that and broke up with him. Thankfully, he wasn't upset for very long because Ali moved here just two months after he was dumped."

"Everything happens for a reason?" I asked, looking into his eyes. "Right?"

"Right?" He whispered, smiling at me. I quickly looked away so he wouldn't see me blush, and I couldn't help the butterflies forming in my stomach. Once everyone was finished eating, things went a bit crazy. Half of them jumped into the lake...throwing Rosalie in, and the other started playing another game of volleyball...only this game was much more violent.

"Come on, Bella!" I heard one of Jasper's friends yell. "We don't bite!"

"I know, but," I started to say before I was being lifted up and pulled into the water. I turned to see Felix just as he through me in the water. "Hey!"

"Get used to it." Jasper told me as he swam by. "You either get in on your own, or be ready to be pushed in."

"Duly noted." I laughed, going under, getting my hair wet. I had to admit, it was awesome being here. When my mother told me I should go see my dad, I was weary. I didn't want to be stuck in the house like a loser all summer. But, it was my first day here and I already had a group of people to hang out with, and a friend in Emmett and Jasper.

* * *

After spending all day at the lake, the five of us decided it was time to pack up and get home. Once the jeep was packed, we jumped inside and began driving towards Alice's house.

"You guys want dinner?" Emmett asked as we neared Alice's place. "I'm pretty sure both mom and dad are working tonight."

"Dinner at Cullen's?" Alice asked. "YES!"

"We have one, Rosalie?"

"Sure." She shrugged. I sighed since I'd had Cullen's last night, but it was delicious and I didn't have to get the same thing. Emmett made a sharp left and began driving down a road that led to the diner. We pulled in and Emmett helped Alice as she got out since it was a high jump for her, being so small. Jasper brushed the small of my back, giving me a push inside.

"Look who it is!" The hostess laughed from her podium. "Speaking of the devil."

"Yeah, I missed your ass too, Janie." He laughed, hugging her tightly. "Our folks here?"

"Yeah, your dads in his office." She pointed as she grabbed menus. "Come on, Jazz." She said, winking at him. I had a gut feeling that they had been "more than friends" at some point. I shrugged off the weird feeling of jealousy as she stopped in front of a booth. I slid in first and then Jasper sat next to me. "So, who's the new girl?"

"I'm Bella." I whispered, suddenly becoming very shy. "I'm visiting my dad for the summer."

"Just the summer?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, Leah just got a summer internship somewhere, and Mr. Cullen has been looking for someone to take her place for weeks." Janie explained. "You should apply."

"Oh, ummm..."

"She came here for vacation, Jane." Jasper pointed out. "But, Rosalie, Emmett and I here a lot of the time."

"Me too!" Ali squealed as Emmett came and sat down next to Rosalie. "I gotta job last summer. It's really nice here, and Mr. Cullen is an awesome boss."

"Thanks, Ali." I heard an unfamiliar voice say from behind us. I turned around to see a tall, blonde man walking up to us and stopping in front of the table. "Janie, there are people waiting to be seated." He warned.

"Sorry," She sighed as she handed us the rest of the menu's and left.

"So, you must be Bella?" He asked. "Jasper told me he'd made a new friend last nigh."

"Oh, yes." I smiled as I thought about Jasper talking about me. "I'm here with my dad for the summer."

"Excellent." He smiled. "Well, it's a waitressing job if you're interested."

"Dad," Jasper warned shaking his head. His dad seemed to have gotten the point and smiled before turning and walking away. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, I should." I told him. "I think it'd be good to have a job." I followed Jasper back to his father out and filled out and application, even though Emmett assured me I'd get the job. We headed back to the table and ate before finally calling it a day and heading home. Emmett and Alice spent about another fifteen minutes groping each other in the dark corner of her yard before finally saying goodnight, and then he drove the rest of us home.

"I'm gonna walk Bella over." Jasper told both of them as they began unpacking the Jeep. He picked my bag up and slung it over his shoulder, and pressed his hand on the small of my back...again making my blush.

"Thanks for today." I whispered once we'd finally reached my front door. "I had a really good time."

"It wasn't a problem." He smiled, and I finally realized how close we were standing. I felt his heated breath on my skin, and looked up into his eyes and just...felt something. It wasn't really something I could explain because, honestly, I didn't know what it was. And then, his lips were on mine. I dropped my purse on the ground and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck as he squeezed my waist.

And then...I remembered Mike. This wasn't fair to him. I quickly pulled back, breathless and guilty, and watched as his eyes filled with hurt and confusion.

"I'm...sorry." I whispered. "I have a boyfriend."

"Oh," He sighed. "Break up with him." He suggested.

"What? I can't...no...I can't."

"Bella," He said sternly, moving to stand close to me again. "This...this is something." He said, pointing at both of us. "This doesn't happen every fucking day."

"I know, but..."

"No buts." He said. "We won't do anything if you don't want to...I'm not going to push you. But, you gotta be honest with yourself."

"We just met, Jasper." I pointed out to him. "I've known Mike almost my whole life."

"And was there ever this feeling between you two?" He asked, and I only starred at him. Because, truthfully, no. I loved Mike but I never had this kind of passion with him before. We've never kissed with such heat, and it took a long time for me to become atracked to him. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bells." I watched as he walked down the steps and across the yard to his house.

I sighed, turning the knob and going inside. Dad was asleep on the couch, and I walked upstairs, careful not to wake him. I shut the door and thought about what to do. I wasn't going to hide this from Mike, and he could do what he wanted to...or I'd be honest with myself and break up with him so I could do what I wanted to with Jasper.

"Fuck," I muttered as I dialed his number. He picked up right away, and my stomach dropped with guilt.

"Hi, baby." He said cheerfully. "I haven't heard from you all day? What's up?"

"Oh, I met some kids my age and they invited me to go out with them." I told him. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Were they nice?"

"Yeah, it was real easy to get along." I told him. "Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Mike, I...I kissed someone else." I told him, and the silence on the other line was defening. "Or, he kissed me and I kissed him back."

"Oh,"

"I'm sorry."

"It's...okay." He hesitated. I knew it wasn't and I didn't blame him if he wanted to break up. "What do you want to do, Bella?"

"What do I wanna do?" I asked. "This...is up to you."

"I'm willing to look past it. I'm crazy about you and I don't wanna let one little thing, ruin what we have." He told me. "But, if you feel like you wanna see this guy...do what you have to do."

"I never wanted to hurt you, Mike."

"I know." He said. "But, we're teenagers."

"I'm attracted to him." I admitted. "Really attracted to him...and I don't wanna do anything with him that I'll regret later because I have you."

"It's okay, Bella." He sighed and I could hear the sadness and disappointment in his voice. "It's better to have loved and lost then never loved at all."

"I'm so sorry, Mike."

"I know." He whispered before hanging up. I dropped my phone down on my bed and stood up to get ready for better. As I pulled my night shirt over my head, I looked over at the Cullen's house and saw Jasper sitting at his desk, laptop opened. I found myself then starring at him. He was so cute, and now that I didn't have Mike, I wanted him. In every way possible.

He glanced up at me and smiled, making my knees go weak. I gave him a small wave and closed the curtains and crawled into bed.


	5. At Your Door

**Chapter Four: At Your Door**

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"So, you and Bella look pretty comfortable together." My father commented when he came home later that night. I only rolled my eyes at him. Emmett hadn't shut up about us since I got back from walking her home...and I guess he had a right to. We'd known each other for a day and I was already kissing her. But, I'd known girls for less time and slept with them, so one little kiss wasn't that bad.

"Yeah." I shrugged. "She's a really nice girl...we just get along easily."

"Well, I'm glad she applied." He sighed, sitting down in his chair. "It was getting real crazy."

"So, you're going to hire her?" I asked excitedly. I didn't spend my entire summer at the diner, but I was there enough."

"Yeah, you seem to like her." He said. "And she seems like she'll be a really good worker. I called her before I left tonight."

"Hi, daddy." Rosalie greeted, kissing him on the cheek before sitting next to me on the couch. "Mama still at the diner?"

"Yep, she's closing tonight." He told us as he turned on the TV. After another hour, my mother was home and the five of us just stayed up and watched TV before my mother could barely keep her eyes open. Being the head chef at the diner, she normally only made it 'til elven thirty before passing out. I headed upstairs and sat down at my desk, opening my laptop. I looked up at saw Bella starring at me. I gave her a soft smile before she closed her curtains.

The next morning was the first day I'd be working since school let out. I sighed pulling the blue shirt over my head and pulling my tennis shoes on. I loved my job, I got more than minimum wave and most of the time, I wasn't working out in the dining room. But, with people on vacation, internships, and quitting for the summer, Emmett and I were forced to be actually waiting on people.

"You ready?" I asked Rosalie as she came out of her room.

"Let me brush my teeth." She sighed. She hated it to. It was the last summer we'd have with our friends before going off to school or Fort Jackson for basic training. "Alright, lets go."

"I'll get my keys." I told her, going into my room and getting my wallet along with my keys. Dad had the morning off and mom was already at the diner, so we grabbed some toast and got in the car. I saw Bella at the edge of the driveway at the mailbox, she looked so cute in her oversized t-shirt and PJ shorts. I honked the horn, scarring her and causing her to drop the mail she was holding.

"Sorry!" I called as I stopped the car in front of her.

"It's okay." She smiled, waving at Rosalie. "Your dad said I could come in today and start training."

"Good." I said, a little too excited. "I'm glad you're going to be there."

"Me too."

"Ummm, Jazz?" Rosalie asked. "We're going to be late if you two keep oogling each other."

"Unfortunately, she's right." I sighed, pressing my foot on the gas. "I'll see you later." Since the diner was so close, it didn't take long to get there. Rosalie and I set our things down in Dad's office, clocked in and went to say hi to mama. Rosalie grabbed her apron and began helping our head chef, Toby, and mama just smiled at me.

"Is it crowded?" I asked since we'd come in the back entrance.

"I don't believe, but the day is just beginning." She laughed. We made good breakfast, but our lunch and dinner is what people kept coming back for. I kissed her on the cheek and went out to meet the general manager to see what needed done.

"Hey, Kasey." I greeted as she worked at the podium. "What can I do?"

"Danny just clocked out, so section five is waiterless." She told me and I grabbed my notepad from under the podium and headed towards section five. Mama was right, it was a slow morning. But, as soon as eleven-thirty hit, people began piling in. Within half and hour, the place was packed and I was running around like a crazy person trying to make sure everyone was taken care of.

Finally at two, once the lunch rush had calmed down, my dad and Bella walked in. I winked at her, causing her to blush as she followed my dad back to his office. She came out with a fresh t-shirt on, ready to go.

"Bella's going to shadow you today, Jasper." He told me. "But, if you two get nothing done...I'll have her shadow Carrie."

"We'll behave." I laughed as I guided her to the family that had just been seated. I took their drink orders, Bella took notes, and the day continued just like that. We'd flirt when everyone was taken care of, she'd help me bring out the bigger orders, and we actually worked really well together. "You're a natural at this, Bella."

"Wow," She sighed, rolling her eyes. Rosalie came out of the kitchen, red and sweaty and apronless. "Hi, Rosalie."

"Hey, Bells. Jazz, Mama's done, I'm going with her."

"You are?" I asked looking at the clock. "We still have an hour."

"I know, but she said I could." She shrugged. "Mason's coming in a half hour...the dinner rush won't start for another hour. We'll be fine."

"Okay," I sighed. Mom was always cutting her slack since she was the only girl in the family. Half hour seemed to pass quickly and then, I clocked out and my dad let Bella go as well. I drove her home, but instead of going straight, I turned onto the dirt road that led to the lake.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"You and I both know if we try to get some alone time at either of our houses...it just wouldn't."

"Right?"

"So, we're going to go somewhere we can be alone." I whispered, stopping the car in front of the lake.

"Aren't people going to be here?" She asked as she unbuckled and got out of the car.

"They don't really come here unless we plan it." I shrugged as I grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the water. We both removed out sneakers, and I quietly moaned at the cool water on my feet. Working at that diner was fucking exhausting. "So..." I began awkwardly.

"I...I ended it with my boyfriend." She whispered, looking out to the water. "Last night."

"Oh,"

"I told him about...about the kiss." SHe told me, still not looking at me. "He was willing to look past it and still be with me, but.." She trailed off.

"But?" I asked.

"But I knew it wouldn't be fair." She sighed. "To either of us."

"And..why is that?"

"Because, I'm attracted to you." She admitted, finally looking at me. "And, I wanted to be able to...do...stuff...with you and not worry about cheating on him. I wanted to be...free."

"Really?" I asked and I could feel my heart rate picking up. I'd had one girlfriend, junior year. I was completely crazy about her, but she wasn't in the same place as I was. She didn't want to be tied down so young, and although I understood, I was heartbroken. After we broke things off, I didn't really want any...label. I wanted to be able to be with a girl without worrying about cheating. But, when I was with Bella...even though we'd just met...I wanted to only be with her. No one else.

"Yeah." She whispered and I realized she'd scooted closer to me. Her beautiful brown eyes were looking into mine, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I pushed a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear, and leaned into her. Our lips met, and I felt a surge of electricity race through my body. My hands slightly tightened around her neck as she moaned into my mouth. There was a passion to this kiss that I'd never felt before...it was like one of those cheesy romance movies. She was the only person in the world right at that moment.

I broke the kiss abruptly and just stared into her eyes. She was panting, and giving me this...look. She leaned into me again and I pushed her down onto the sand. I crawled on top of her, without breaking our kiss, and began slightly moving my hips. She moaned into my mouth as I felt myself grow hard, and began moving my lips down her neck.

I left heated kisses down her neck, and down to her chest. But, once my hands moved to cup her breasts, she stiffened and pushed me away. She sat up and turned away from me. I saw her arms cross over her chest, looking like she was about to cry.

"Not like this." She whispered. I could tell I'd crossed a line and felt like a complete jackass.

"Bella," I sighed, reaching over and touching her shoulder gently. "I'm sorry. We...we don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"I want to." She told me, finally facing me. "But, not like this. Jasper I'm...I'm...I've never..."

"Bella?" I asked and she stopped talking and looked up at me. "Are you a virgin?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" She asked, playing with her ponytail. I gently shook my head and her eyes dropped to look at the ground. "Yes, I'm the sixteen year old virgin."

"Hey," I whispered, touching her chin and lifting her head to look at me. "Then, we'll take this slow."

"But..."

"As slow as you need." I whispered, and she smiled, her face lighting up. I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers, and then pulled her into my sides. The two of us stayed by the lake until it was nearly dark and if we didn't leave, we wouldn't have been able to find my truck. I drove her home, spent another twenty minutes in my truck, and watched as she walked inside.

I took a deep breath as I walked inside, trying to compose myself. Emmett would be the first one to notice and I knew he'd make some comment about getting laid by the lake. Thankfully, he was distracted with Ali as I walked into the kitchen to grab a sandwich since Bella and I didn't get a chance to eat.

"How was the lake, baby?" My mother asked when she walked into the kitchen.

"Good."

"Jasper got laid, mama." Emmett shouted from his seat in the living room. "Of course he's good!"

"Emmett!" I shouted, turning red. Our parents knew Emmett and I weren't virgins, but that didn't mean I wanted my mother to think I was having sex with Bella. She shot me a glare, and I held out my hands in defense. "No, we did not. We didn't have sex."

"Oh come on!" Emmett argued, standing up and walking over to us. "You've been gone all freakin' day!"

"Yeah!" I shouted, getting fed up with him. "Bella didn't want to! She's one of the girls who hasn't given it away to some random guy yet!"

"Oh," Emmett whispered, avoiding eye contact with either my mother or myself. "Sorry."

"You should be." Ali squealed, hitting his shoulder. "Just because he was alone with a girl doesn't mean they were having sex!"

"With Jasper, it normally does." Emmett shrugged as he poured himself a glass of juice. "Just speaking the truth." I shook my head, thanking god mama had left when she did.

"I should be going," Ali sighed, grabbing her bag. "I told my parents I wouldn't be home too late."

"Damn." He whispered, bending over and hugging her waist. "Are we ever going to tell them?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Once we're both at school, and I'm out of the house...they won't be able to do anything then." She told him, and I felt a tug in my chest. Emmett wasn't a bad guy, but her parents still wouldn't let them date. I felt terrible. They loved each other so much, but she had to lie and sneak around just to see him. Emmett was very proud of himself when he lost his virginity, but they waited until Ali was sixteen to even think about doing anything. They were good together, and her parents would never approve.

I headed upstairs, showered, and finally just laid down in my bed. I was just about to fall asleep when there was a knock on my door, jerking me back awake.

"What?" I groaned, throwing a pillow over my head.

"Jasper?" I heard my father ask. "Did I wake you?"

"Kinda." I mumbled, rolling on my back and looking over at my dad. "What's up?"

"You and Bella..." He sighed, sitting down on my bed. "Don't you think are...moving too fast? Too soon?"

"Maybe." I shrugged as I sat up. "But, what does that matter?"

"A lot, Jasper." He told me. "You two just met, and I was talking to Charlie and he told me she broke up with her boyfriend last night?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Because of you?" He asked.

"She told me she did it because she didn't want to do anything with me and regret it, and she wanted to be able to...be with me...without anyone tying her dad. I never told her to break up with him..."

"I'm just saying...be careful." He sighed, rubbing my shoulder. "She seems like a nice girl, but you two both know this is over at the end of the summer. She's going home, and you're going to Fort Jackson."

"I know, dad." I sighed.

"I just don't want you to get too attached to her." He whispered, and I knew where he was going. Quinn. My junior year girlfriend who broke up with me a few days after she'd moved to Arizona. We promised to stay together, and it was then that she told me I was more into the relationship than she was. I was more in love, and wanted to keep it alive more than she did.

"Dad, Quinn was like a year ago." I sighed.

"Yeah, but I know it still hurt when she left, promising to keep your relationship alive...and then just breaking it off."

"Bella wouldn't do that."

"Have faith in her, Jasper...but don't get yourself hurt."

"Are you telling me not to get involved?"

"I'm telling you to be careful, son." He sighed. "I don't want you to get hurt again."

"I know I've only known her for like...three days...but I feel a lot for her, dad." I explained. "I can't...explain how or why or...anything about it. But, I know that I want to be with her...even if it's for only a summer. You only live once, right? I'm going to live with Bella...even for only the summer."

* * *

I again had work the next day, but I was happier about it today. Bella would again be shadowing me, and I knew the day would go faster. Unfortunately, we had the shift right after the lunch rush normally ended, and it last until right after the dinner rush ended...it would still be a long day.

"Jazz!" I heard my mother call from downstairs since today was her day off. "Bella's here!"

"Be right down, mama!" I called as I finished tying my gray vans. I took one last look in the mirror...even though I was just going to work...before grabbing my bag and heading downstairs. Even in the t-shirt and plain khaki shorts, she looked beautiful. "The uniform suits you." I laughed.

"Why thank you." She laughed as I opened the front door, allowing her to go in front of me. When we got to the diner, the place was slowing down and I was assigned to section three this time...which was outside.

The building the diner was in was beautiful. An old, southern home with a big wrap around porch on both floors. It was left to my dad's grandfather, and had been handed down from generation to generation. My family was the first not to live in it, and do something different and when my parents came up with the idea of owning a diner, the converted the house.

"Do you use the upper floor?" Bella asked as we sat at the counter, waiting for people to be sat in our section.

"It's mostly for parties." I told her. "We get a lot of grad parties here, and a lot of business lunches who want quiet for their meetings."

"Oh," She nodded as a family came in. Janie led them outside and Bella and I followed them. Until people began filing in for dinner, the day was pretty slow. Only three tables throughout the day were sat outside, meaning Bella and I had some more time to ourselves.

The dinner rush was hectic as usual. More people wanted to sit outside to avoid the wait, and it was beginning to cool down outside. Bella and I spent most of the night, running in and out, trying to get everyone taken care of. I was grateful when Emmett showed up and began working, even though he wasn't scheduled.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I walked from the porch to the kitchen to give Rosalie my order.

"Ali had to go to some dinner with her parents." He said, rolling his eyes. "Plus, I thought you guys would need help."

"Yeah, Riley isn't here." I told him. "His family ate out last night, and he ended up with food poisening."

"We have more than Riley working?" Emmett basically asked as we opened the door to the outside. He took care of one of my tables that was finished eating while I took the orders of a new table. "Where is everyone?"

"No one could come in." I told him, annoyed since most of them made lame excuses. "Anyway, section two is short. Go help Maggie."

"On it!" He called as Bella came out of the bathroom. The dinner rush didn't last as long as it normally does, and after two hours, Bella and I both plopped down in one of the booths, taking our dinner break. We shared a piece of Cullen's famous peach pie and then, we had one final half hour. It was easy, and only one other family showed up.

"Dad, we good?" I asked as I untied my apron. He looked up at me, looking flustered and angry and nodded. "You okay?"

"Natalie just quit." He sighed, removing his glasses and leaning back in his chair. "These damn kids!"

"Dad, you'll find someone." I assured him. "Bree's looking for a job."

"Bree isn't old enough." He pointed out. Although me and my brother and sister were fifteen, you had to be seventeen to work here as a waitress and Bree wouldn't be seventeen for another three months.

"So, put Janie on as a waitress and give the hostess job to Bree."

"Does she even wanna a job?" He asked.

"She's tired of the damn pool." I told him. "She'd probably take it if you offered.

"Well, I know she can't work during the school year, but I'll keep her in mind." He groaned as the phone rang. I left him to deal with whoever was on the other line and grabbed Bella to go home.

"I have off tomorrow afternoon." I told her as I walked her up to her porch. "I work until eleven, but after that I'm all yours."

"Oh yeah?" She asked, raising her eyebrow. "And what did you have in mind?"

"A pool date during the afternoon, and a dinner date during the evening?"

"Sound perfect." She sighed, leaning in and brushing her lips against mine. "Do I have to go tomorrow? I forgot to check."

"Hold on," I said, pulling out my phone and finding the picture of the schedule. "No, you dont' work until Thursday."

"Great." She sighed. We spent another few minutes together before she had to go in to spend time with her dad.

I didn't care that I'd only known her for a short time. I was falling completely in love with Bella...and it scarred the shit out of me. My dad was right, we had this summer together before we parted ways and I didn't even know where to begin telling her about Fort Jackson and the army.


	6. Here it Comes

**Chapter Five: Here it Comes**

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I woke up way too early the next morning. Jasper wouldn't be off until eleven, and then he had to shower...we wouldn't be leaving until around noon. But, I was awake at nine and decided to clean up downstairs and make my dad breakfast. I looked at the clock once I heard him stomping around upstairs, and was relieved to see it was already ten thirty.

"Bells?" He asked as he came into the kitchen. "What'd you do?"

"I was up early." I shrugged. "I couldn't fall back asleep so I decided to make you breakfast."

"Thanks." He smiled, sitting down and scooping out eggs onto his plate. "I haven't had a real, homemade breakfast in years."

"Oh?" I asked. "What do you eat?"

"I normally have Cheeros if I work in the morning, or go out to eat." He shrugged, taking a bite of his pancakes. "So? You and that...Cullen kid?"

"Yeah." I told him, as I sat down and began eating. "Why?"

"You just met the kid, Bella." He sighed. "Don't you think breaking up with that boyfriend was too drastic?"

"No," I whispered. "Dad, I like Jasper. I didn't wanna hurt Mike by doing something with Jasper."

"But, you just met him!"

"So?" I asked. "You and mom only knew each other for a year before getting married."

"And look how that turned out." He said, shaking his head. "You're going to get hurt."

"Dad, I know." I said. "I know I'm leaving at the end of the summer, I get it. But, that doesn't mean we can't spend the summer together."

"I don't like this."

"Why?" I asked. "Do you have something against Jasper?"

"He isn't right for you, Bella." He told me. "You know how many times I've busted him and his brother for drinking? Or him and his precious paintball friends?"

"So, they're teenagers." I shrugged. "And, guess what? I've been drunk before. A couple of times."

"Bella!"

"What, I'm only being honest." I shrugged. "We're kids, dad. We're going to do stupid stuff and sometimes we're going to get caught. That doesn't make him a bad person."

"Fine." He huffed. "Just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I promise, I'll be careful." I assured him, looking at the clock on the microwave. "I gotta go get ready, we're going to the pool today." I told him as I brought my dishes to the sink. I rushed upstairs and pulled my cutest bathing suit I brought on, and made sure my hair was nice and smooth. I was just putting my towel in my pool bag when the doorbell rang. I rushed downstairs so my dad wouldn't beat me to it, and thankfully, I got there first.

"Hi," I sighed when I saw him...looking like a god...in his swim trunks and t-shirt. "I'm just gonna grab a water bottle."

"I have some in the truck." He assured me. I went and said bye to my dad and walked out with Jasper. Emmett and Rosalie were in the backseat when I got in and I looked at Jasper...I thought this would be a day just to us.

"Rosalie's just a cover for Emmett and Ali." Jasper told me as I buckled. "Ali's car is in the shop so her parents are dropping her off...and they'll check to see if Rosalie's there."

"Oh," I muttered.

"And then Ali and I are leaving to go to _The Grill_ across the street while you two conoodle in the pool." Emmett laughed. "And Rosalie's going home afterwards."

"You're a good sister." I laughed.

"Yeah, well, Ali's my best friend." She shrugged. "She helped me cover up with my secret relationship."

"She really shouldn't have though." Emmett muttered. "Royce was a complete dick."

"I get it!" Rosalie spat. "I was wrong in dating him when mom and dad said not to!"

"What happened?" I asked Jasper.

"Royce wasn't good to her." He explained. "He beat her once and my parents told her she couldn't see him again."

"She did anyway and ended up in the hospital." Emmett spat. "He went to jail...your dad actually arrested him."

"Oh," I said, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. The subject was dropped thankfully and we pulled into the pool parking lot a few minutes later. Ali arrived shortly after and her and Emmett walked off to across the street and Jasper gave his keys over to Rosalie so she could go home. Jasper and I found a grassy spot away form everyone and we laid out towel out.

You wanna get in?" He asked, gesturing to the pool.

"Not yet." I said, lying down. I just wanna lay here with you."

"That can be arranged." He laughed, laying next to me and pulling me close. "I'm really glad you're here."

"Me too." I said, leaning in and kissing him.

"I don't just mean here, at the pool." He whispered. "I mean, in Houston and...next door."

"I knew what you meant." I laughed. I snuggled into his side a little bit more, and then I felt him stiffen. "Jasper?"

"I...I have to tell you something, Bells." He whispered. "It's important."

"Okay?"

"I just need to be honest and...you can do whatever you wanna do...but I gotta tell you."

"Jasper, you're scarring me."

"When the summer ends, I'm not going to college." He sighs and I let out a sigh of relief. I thought he was going to tell me he was dying. "I'm going to Fort Jackson for basic training."

"Basic training?"

"For the army." He whispered, and I pushed myself up. I feel his hands rubbing my lower back as he comes and sits up next to me. "Bella?"

"The...the army?" I asked.

"Yeah. It's something I've always wanted to do." He explains. "Ever since I saw Forrest Gump."

"Weird movie to know you wanna go into the army." I laughed. "Let's...lets not worry about this."

"Really?" He asked, his face lighting up.

"Really. Let's just live for right now and spend as much time as possible together." I said. "You only live once...so lets live and not worry about whats going to happen at the end of the summer."

"Have I ever told you how awesome you are?" He asked, leaning in and brushing his lips against mine.

"Maybe once or twice." I sighed as he kissed me again. We spent the rest of the afternoon, switching from laying in the grass to swimming around in the pool. Ali and Emmett came back with half hour to spare and jumped in the water to look like they were telling the truth. Rosalie drove up and we said goodbye to Ali and she drove us home.

"Dad! I'm back!" I called as I walked through the front door. When there was no answer, I checked the kitchen and found a note sitting on the table.

Bella, got called into work. Text me when you get home and when you go back out. I should be home before you are. -Dad

I sent him a quick text and jumped in the shower. As I rinsed the conditioner out of my hair, I felt butterflies form in my stomach. Jasper and I just...worked together. I was so happy to have him, and to be going out with him, but I was also terrified. I was terrified of falling in love with him, and then just when things would be perfect, we'd be parting ways when the summer ended.

I got out and dried off, trying to shake off my feelings of fear as I began applying a light layer of make-up while my curling iron heated up. I blow dried my hair, and sat down and began curling. I had just finished the last strand when my phone went off with a text from Jasper.

I'm so excited...I can barely sit still ;)

Me either

I turned the iron off and went to my closet, trying to find the perfect outfit. As I stood there for ten minutes, I realized I should have picked what I was wearing out before I started getting ready, but I finally found a dress I wanted to wear. I settled on a white, spaghetti strap dress with big, red flowers and slipped it on. I was just buckling my sandals when the doorbell rang. I rushed downstairs and opened the door, and my knees buckled.

"Hi," He smiled, handing me a handful of daisy's. "Mama grows them in the garden out back."

"Thanks." I blushed, tanking them from his hands. "You can come in, I gotta grab my bag and I'm going to put these in water." I was able to find a vase easily and then we were off. Jasper helped me into his truck, and we sped off.

"So, where are we going?" I asked. "Jasper?" I asked as we pulled into the diner's parking lot.

"Just, keep an open mind." He told me as he helped me out of his car. He grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. Janie was there and led us to the stairs, and I looked over at Jasper who just nodded. He led me upstairs, and my breath was taken away. The upstairs had only one single table and candles filled the room. I walked further into the room and saw a vase of roses on the table.

"Jasper," I breathed as he came over and grabbed my hand. "This is...wow."

"I wanted to do something special." He whispered as he grabbed my waist, pulling me against him. "I knew this was the only place to do it..."

"It's perfect." I smiled, turning around and pressing my lips against him. I tightened my grip around his neck as he pulled me impossibly closer. I heard him moan into my mouth as his hands traveled down my back, and slid onto my ass. He slightly squeezed, causing me to break our kiss and laugh. "Sorry."

"You try and be bad!" He laughed, throwing his hands in the air. "Emmett agreed to be our waiter."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep." He laughed, handing me my menu. I quickly looked over it and realized this wasn't their normal menu and it only had a few items on it.

"Jazz, where's the menu?" I asked.

"This is the menu my parents use when people want to have a fancier meal." He explained. "My mom agreed to make something off it."

"This is...amazing." I sighed as I looked over the menu. Emmett came up shortly after, wearing something fancier than the normal uniform and took our order. It was quick in being made, and it was even better than the normal food I ate here. After we were done eating, Emmett came and took our plates and took our desert order.

"Do you wanna dance?" I asked when Etta James's _At Last_ came over the speaker system. "Please." I begged.

"Sure," He groaned, but I didn't miss his smile. He stood up and extended his hand for me. I grabbed it and he helped me stand, and led me to the middle of the room. "I'm not much of a dancer."

"Me either." I smiled as I wrapped my hands around his neck and his slid around my waist. We began slowly swaying to the slow sound of jazz, and I rested my head on his shoulder. "This is...perfect."

"I know," He sighed, kissing the top of my head and gripping me tighter. "Bella, I'm not one for relationships."

"Oh," I sighed, and I felt my body stiffen.

"But...and I know this sounds cheesy...but it's completely different with you." He whispered. "I...I only want you."

"You're right, that was cheesy." I laughed. "But, I...I feel the same way."

We spent the next ten minutes, dancing to different songs until Emmett came upstairs with our desserts. After eating and paying, Jasper led me out to his car.

"So, what's next?" I asked.

"Well, no ones at my place." He said, winking at me. "Mama and dad are at the diner, Emmett left to take Ali out and Rosalie's with her friends."

"Okay," I nodded, grabbing his hand. "Lets go there."

"As you wish." He laughed, turning onto our street. He helped me out of the car, and led me inside. I gasped once we'd gotten inside...it was fucking huge!

"Wow," I gasped as he pulled me through the kitchen and into the living room. "You fucking live here?"

"Most of the time." He laughed. "Come on, I'll give you a tour."

"I need a tour of your house." I laughed as he pulled me through the living room into a small office, and then we headed upstairs. He showed me Emmett's room, Rosalie's and his parents before stopping at his. "So, this is your room."

"Yep." He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "You...like?"

"Very much." I smiled, walking over to him and touching my lips to his. He unstuffed his hands and wrapped them around my waist. I deepened the kiss, and he moaned into my mouth, squeezing my tighter. "Jasper." I gasped, breaking our kiss.

"Yeah?"

"I'm ready." I told him, and he smiled at me.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." I assured him as he moved me over to the bed. I gently lied me down and crawled on top of me, and began grinding his hips against me. I moaned as his lips crashed into mine and wrapped his hands in my hair. I reached up and began unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing, and smiled as beautiful abs came back into my view.

"I like you better shirtless." I smiled as he shook his head and began kissing me down the neck. "Shit," I moaned as he began to knead my breast through my dress. I felt him growing harder as his hips continued to grind against me. He reached around behind me and unzipped my zipper, causing my to loosen. He sat up so I could slip the dress down my body, leaving me in just my underwear.

"I like you in just a bra and panties." He smiled, crawling back on top of me. I slid the shirt over his shoulders, and it finally met my dress on the floor. I unbuckled his shorts, and slid them down his legs, leaving him in his boxer briefs.

"Fuck," I muttered, running my hands over his stomach, and then, over the bulge in his pants. He jerked into my hands, and just smirked at me. He unclasped my bra, and slid it down my shoulders, leaving me bare. As I felt his eyes on me, I began feeling subconscious, and I brought my arms up to cover myself up.

"Bella?" He asked, making me look at him. "You're beautiful." He whispered, kissing my bare shoulder. All my worries melted away as I pulled him into me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, creating the frictions I so desperately needed. I then pushed his boxers down his legs, leaving him completely naked. I looked down at him, and began to breathe heavily. He was fucking huge!

"Bells?" He asked once he'd felt my body go rigid. "Bella, we're doing this your way."

"I...I want it." I assured him. "You're just...fucking huge."

"Why thank you." He laughed, trying to lessen my fear. "We're going to go slow." He whispered as he pushed my panties down. He reached over to his bedside table, and picked out a foil packet.

"I'm on the pill." I told him. Although I was a virgin, periods sucked and I wanted to regulate it as much as I could. "We're good."

"Thank god!" He smiled, kissing me again. He lined himself at my entrance and my body began shaking. "Bella, I wanna make this as painless as possible, but you have to calm down or it will hurt...a lot more."

"Okay," I sighed, trying to calm down.

"Good girl." He whispered as he pushed himself into me. My body tensed up again, and I felt a tear sliding down my cheek. "We're going to go slow." He assured me, as he stood still. Once the initial pain wore off, I gave him a nod and he began to gently thrust in and out. After a few thrusts, the pain began to go away, and it began feeling good.

"Oh, god!" I moaned, as I gripped his shoulders. "Fuck!"

"Oh! Fuck, Bella!" He moaned as his thrusts began to quicken. "You're so...fucking...tight!" He screamed.

"Oh...Jasper!" I nearly screamed. "Oh!" I yelled as I felt myself coming. I felt him come moments after me, and then fell lifelessly on top of me.

"Damn, Bella." He sighed as he rolled off of me, and grabbed tissues off of his side table. We cleaned up and he pulled me to his side. "That was...amazing."

"Oh, yeah!" I sighed, making him laugh. We stayed like that for what seemed like hours before we heard the garage door go up. "We should...we should get dressed."

"Damn." He sighed, kissing the top of my head and getting up. We quickly got dressed and made ourselves look presentable. There was a knock on the door just as I was buckling my sandals. "Yeah?"

"Hey, dad and mama are both on their way home." Emmett told us as he poked his head through the door. "Hey, Bella." He winked.

"Okay, Em. We'll be right out." Jasper laughed, throwing a pillow at the door. "You don't have to go home yet, but we should go downstairs."

"Yeah," I mumbled as he helped me up and took my hand, dragging me downstairs. We snuggled up on the couch just as his parents came inside. They each gave us a smile, but went upstairs,leaving us alone. As much as I didn't want to leave, we both had work in the morning and Charlie would have a hissy fit if I wasn't home at a decent hour.

He walked me home like he always did and only got to share a quick kiss before Charlie had the door open.

"Goodnight," Jasper whispered smiling at me. "Goodnight, chief."

Night, Jasper!" I called after him before following Charlie inside. "Dad, did you really need to do that?"

"What? I heard a noise...wasn't sure what it was." He lied, and I knew he'd called mom.

"You can be your own parent you know." I scoffed as I headed upstairs. "You don't need to call mom to tattle on me."

"Bella!" He called as I shut the door. I knew she'd be calling me soon so I just decided to call her. She gave me a nice, long, lecture about why I shouldn't have broken up with my boyfriend to have some summer fling, and how I need to be careful not to get hurt, and then was kind enough to remind me to keep taking my birth control.

"Mom, I'm going to be fine." I tried telling her.

"Okay, Bella." She sighed. "Just remember...three months is shorter than you think."

And that got to me. I know we decided to live while we were together and just do what we wanted...but we were both falling hard for each other and I knew the closer we got the more it would hurt when we parted ways at the end of August.


	7. I Will Hold You

**Chapter Six: I Will Hold You**

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"You and Bella have fun last night?" My mother asked the next morning at breakfast.

"I bet they did." Emmett mumbled under his breath before I kicked him in the shin.

"Yeah, she loved the diner." I said. "Thanks again for doing that, mama."

"Anytime, dear." She smiled, sipping her coffee. "Well, you'd better get going. Don't wanna be late for work."

"Yes, mama." I laughed, bringing my dishes to the sink. I grabbed my keys, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left to go to work. This would be the first day Bella wouldn't be shadowing me, and she didn't have the same schedule as I did that day. It was a slow morning...Wednesdays always were...but just as the people were filing in for lunch, Bella came in for her shift.

"Hey," I smiled, leaning down and giving her a kiss in the Staff room. "How do you feel?" I asked.

"A little sore." She admitted. "But, otherwise...fucking amazing." She whispered, kissing my neck. Unfortunately, there was a loud cough coming from the doorway and we separated to see it was Rosalie who was coming in for her shift.

"Oh, don't mind me." She laughed, putting her lunch in the fridge. "Carry on."

"We should get out there." I sighed once she'd left. "I promised I'd be good when we worked together."

"You're right." She sighed, picking up her apron and tying it around her small waist. I was still working section one, but she was put to work outside. It was a long day, but thankfully, we were both off by the dinner rush.

"So, what do you wanna do?" I asked as I walked her to the car Charlie had rented for her to use. "You wanna go to the lake?"

"I kinda promised my dad I'd hang out with him tonight." She shrugged. "Sorry."

"It's okay." I sighed. "You have off tomorrow, right?"

"Yes." She smiled. "I'm all yours again."

"Good." I laughed, leaning in and kissing her. I watched as she drove away, and just found myself staring at where she'd driven off to.

"You are so whipped." Riley laughed from behind me, making me jump. "How long have you known her? A week?"

"A...about that long. Yeah." I answered. "Why?"

"No reason." He smirked. "Other than the fact that she's leaving at the end of the summer and your leaving for Fort Jackson."

"We both know that."

"Yeah?" He asked. "And how is saying goodbye to each other gonna end?"

"Why can't we just enjoy being together right now?" I asked. Everyone just needed to back off. Bella and I both knew what we were getting into...we didn't need to be constantly reminded that when the summer ended, we'd be saying goodbye to each other. "Damn! Everyone just needs to back the fuck off!"

"Okay! Sorry!"

"Good." I sighed. "You should be." I mumbled as I climbed into my truck. I made my way to my house and smiled at Bella when as saw her and her father getting into their car. I went upstairs and got showered before just relaxing in my room. I grabbed my guitar and just began gently strumming the strings to Here Comes the Sun, one of the first songs I learned how to play.

"Mama says dinners ready!" Emmett called as he pounded on my door. I sighed as I placed my guitar back into its stand and headed downstairs. "Where's Bella?"

"She's hanging out with her dad tonight." I sighed as I took an ear of corn and put it on my plate.

"Good," My mother sighed. "She came down here to spend time with him, Jasper. Not you."

"I know." I muttered. I felt like some damn lost puppy. I didn't know how to be without her and it'd only been a few hours. I shook my head as I cleared the table for dinner...Riley was right. I was fucking whipped.

"Mama, I'm going out with Ali!" Emmett called from the front door.

"Hang on!" She called, walking over to him. "Emmett, you know we love Ali and have no problem with you two being together."

"Thanks for the update, mom."

"But, we do have a problem with lying to her parents." She sighed, and he closed the front door. "They keep asking about Ali and Rosalie spending time together, and we have to keep lying to them."

"Then, don't lie." Emmett shrugged. "Just tell them they had fun together...which they do when they do hang out."

"Emmett, you have to tell her parents."

"No!" He yelled. "They're going to keep us apart!"

"Emmett,"

"No, mama." He screeched, opening the door. "I'm not losing her." He said as he ran out the door, slamming it behind him. I was flabbergasted, Emmett was a complete mama's boy and always did as he was told, and never yelled at her or gave her attitude. She just sighed in frustration as she headed into the living room. I was so thankful that even though Charlie didn't like me, he wasn't going to try and keep Bella and I apart.

"They love each other, mama." I sighed as I sat down next to her. "And you know her parents are going to keep them apart."

"I know, but they can't keep sneaking around." She told me. "Someone will see them together and say something to her parents."

"Then, you have to let them deal with the choices they made." I reminded her. "At least, that's what you keep telling me."

"Do I?" She asked.

"Yep." I laughed, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "They're going to tell them eventually. She just has to be out of the house."

"Fine," She sighed, turning the volume back up on the TV. Just as I was going to head upstairs to go to bed, the doorbell rang. "Jasper, can you get that?"

"Sure, mama." I sighed, going towards the door and answering it. I was surprised to see Bella standing there, but I wasn't excited to see her. Their house phone was in her hands, he breathing was heavy, and she looked like she was about to cry. "Bella?"

"My dad." She said. "He...Jasper..."

"Bella, what happened?" I asked, taking her inside and bringing her to sit on the couch. "Bells, calm down."

"He...he was...my dad was shot." She stuttered. "He's in the hospital."

"I thought you were spending the night together?" I asked as my mother put a blanket around her shoulders.

"We were and then he got called into work." She sighed once she'd finally calmed down. "He's at Memorial Hermann...and I...I don't know where that it."

"I do," I told her, taking her hand. "Come on, I'll take you." I said, going to grab my keys, but realized Rosalie had my truck. "Damn, Rosalie has my car."

"Why?" Bella asked, beginning to panic again.

"Her's is in the shop for the check-up." I sighed, hitting myself in the forehead. "She went out with Vera."

"Here, take mine." My mom said, handing me her keys. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out the door. Bella was jittery during the entire ride to the hospital, and could barely stand on her own once we got there. I led her inside to the ER front desk, and she was able to talk to the nurse without any trouble.

"My dad was brought here a while ago." She told the nurse.

"Who's your father, dear?"

"Chief Swan." Bella answered and the nurse went and looked in her computer.

"He's stable." She smiled. "Nothing too serious, and you'll be able to go an see him in a few minutes."

"Thank you." I whispered, taking Bella to sit in one of the chairs. We waited for another half hour, and then we were allowed to go back and see him. When we walked in, I saw the bandages on his shoulders underneath his gown, and was relieved for Bella's sake...he really was going to be fine. I'd read about gun shots and what can kill you, and as long as it doesn't get infected...a shot to the shoulder will heal.

"Dad?" She asked, walking in slowly, almost afraid that walking too fast would hurt him. "Daddy?"

"You...you haven't called me that since...since your mother left." He said, smiling. "I'm okay, baby."

"Are you sure?" She asked. "What happened?"

"Some idiot had a gun." He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "But, I'm fine, Bells."

"You're...positive?" She asked.

"Yes," He smiled, taking her hand in his. "I am."

"Good." She smiled, leaning down and kissing his cheek. After a few minutes, she let go of him and came over to me. "I'm going to stay here with him tonight, keep him company."

"Okay," I whispered, pulling her into the hallway. "Do you want me to get you anything from the house?"

"Actually, PJ's and a book would be awesome." She laughed. "And, maybe the paper for him...he didn't get a chance to read it this morning."

"Sure, how should I go in?" I asked.

"Around back, there's a key underneath the glider in an envelope."

"Okay, I'll be back soon." I told her, kissing her goodbye and heading out to moms car. The key was right where she said it would be, and I let myself in. I headed upstairs and found the room she was staying in and smiled. It was so neat, and she had a huge stack of books on her side table. I shook my head and grabbed the one that was on top since she never told me which one she was reading.

"PJ's?" I questioned as I went over to the dresser. I opened the first drawer, and thankfully, her PJ's were there. I grabbed the pair on top and went into their bathroom and grabbed a few toiletries...toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair brush and some mouth wash and stuffed them into one of her bags. I found Charlie's room and grabbed a pair of PJ bottoms and an over sized t-shirt, just in case he'd need it and headed out to my car.

"Here," I whispered, handing her the bag once I'd gotten back to the hospital. She smiled and pulled me out into the hallway. "He sleeping?"

"Yeah, they gave him some pain meds." She sighed, wrapping her arms around me. "Thank you."

"It wasn't a problem."

"No, I mean for everything today." She whispered. "Thank you for being with me."

"You're welcome." I smiled, bringing her lips to mine. "I grabbed the book on top of your mountain." I laughed. "I hope it's the right one."

"Picking from the top is normally the best choice." She laughed. "Thanks."

"And I grabbed toothpaste and other stuff and a pair of PJ pants for your dad." I told her. "I know how uncomfortable those damn gowns are."

"You do?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was here when Rosalie and I were ten and our mom got into a fender bender." I explained. "And then paintball got a little too violent."

"Oh, what happened?"

"I just got pushed down the hill...but it's pretty steep and a giant ass tree broke my fall." I told her. "I had a few broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a concussion."

"Sounds...nice." She laughed. "When was that?"

"Last summer." I laughed. "I promise to be more careful this year...I need all the time I can get with you."

"Yes you do."

"So, you gonna be at work tomorrow?" I asked. "My mom and dad will understand and Ali would probably cover your shift."

"I don't work until noon, so can I see how he's doing in the morning and call you?" She asked. "Knowing him, he won't want me sitting around all day while he lays there."

"Sure." I smiled, looking at my watch. "Look, I should be getting home. Mama gets weird when we're out past midnight."

"Oh, yeah." She said, looking disappointed.

"My shift doesn't start until after yours does." I said. "I'll come by in the morning with breakfast from the diner."

"Sounds perfect." She smiled, bringing her lips to mine. After another few minutes, I left her alone to be with her father. I drove home and mama was asleep on the couch, waiting for me. I gently kissed her on the cheek before shaking her awake.

"Good, you're home." She sighed, sitting up.

"Come on, mama." I smiled, kneeling down and picking her up in my arms. My mother was small, and it was easy to carry upstairs to put her into bed. I walked back into my room, and missed seeing Bella in her own room that night.

For some reason, it was a restless night. I couldn't sleep knowing Bella was scarred, and hurting for her father and every time I fell asleep, I was just woken up by something like the damn wind. Thankfully, I didn't have another morning shift and I was able to sleep in until my phone rang with a text from Bella.

_'Dad wants me to go in today, but could I maybe cut it short?'_

_'I'll ask my mama.'_

_'Thanks :)'_

_'Anytime. So, how is he?'_

_'Sore, but they said he should be fine.'_

_'Good. What do you two want for breakfast? I was just about to go to the diner.'_

_'Dad wants his pancakes and bacon...extra crispy...and I just want some eggs with toast.'_

_'I'll bring it. Give me like twenty minutes?'_

_'Take your time.'_

I got up and got dressed and headed downstairs, where Emmett and Ali were already making out on the couch.

"It's nine o'clock in the morning." I said loudly as they broke apart. "How are you here, anyway?"

"I snuck out." She whispered, not meeting my gaze. This was a bad idea for both of them. Ali was watched like a hawk, and if they found out she snuck out to see my brother, they'd send her to boarding school. Literally. "It's no big deal. I left a note."

"Okay, jut...be careful." I warned as I grabbed my keys and headed to the diner. I walked in through the kitchen, gave my mama a kiss on the cheek, before putting in the order and headed into the office. My dad was concentrated on his computer and I just sat down in front of him.

"What's up, Jazz?" He asked without taking his eyes off the screen.

"I'm bringing Bella and her dad breakfast." I told him as he logged out of something. "Just, hanging around."

"Does she need the day off?" He asked.

"No, but she does want to lessen her hours." I told her. "Who isn't working today?"

"Emmett's supposed to start tomorrow," He told me, looking at the schedule. "I'll ask him."

"Him and Ali are together."

"At the house?" He asked since they were rarely there together so early. "Do her parents know?"

"Nope. She snuck out." I told him, and he only sighed. "Do you want me to call him?"

"No, I'll do it." He sighed. "This is freaking Houston...you'd think there'd be a kid looking for a job."

"You'll find someone, dad." I assured him as there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." He called, putting his glasses back on and logging back onto his laptop.

"Here, Jazz." Rosalie said, handing me a bag with the food in it. "There's extra syrup for his pancakes and I hope he likes chocolate...mama put a ton of chips in his pancakes."

"I'm sure he'll love them." I laughed, giving her a light hug. "I'll see you later, dad!" I called as I shut his door and followed Rosalie back through the kitchen. I jumped in the car and made a quick trip to the hospital, and was relieved to hear he'd been moved out of the ER earlier in the morning. I found the room and smiled at the two of them together. They were both just reading something, nothing needing to be said.

"Hi," I said, my voice cracking. Bella looked up and smiled at me as she stood and walked over to me. Charlie, only starred in hate in disgust. "Mama put chocolate chips in your pancakes sir. I hope you like them."

"I'm sure I will." He said, taking out the container and putting it on his tray. While he was eating, Bella dragged me out into the hallway. She leaned in and gave me a quick kiss before pulling me into a tight hug.

"He okay?" I asked as I stroked her back.

"He's going to be fine." She sighed. "Just grumpy. He can't work for another week or so."

"Only a week?" I asked. "I thought it'd be more."

"Well, it didn't hit anything major." She shrugged, loosening her grip on me. "The wound just needs to heal."

"Lucky man."

"Yeah," She smiled. "But, I'm gonna have to watch him for the week he's out."

"Okay, I'll work something out with dad." I assured her. "Maybe you can just cut the rest of your shifts in half if you just wanna do that."

"That'd probably be better." She smiled. "I love him, and want to help...but he isn't going to want my help. Besides, he just going to sit on the couch and watch baseball."

"Baseball is an awesome sport." I defended.

"Yes, but I personally hate it." She laughed.

"Well, we'll change that by the time summer ends."

"You can try." She mocked. "But, my almost step-dad is a minor leaguer...and I still hate it."

"Your almost step dad plays in the minors?" I asked, stepping back from her. "Who?"

"Phil Dwyer." She shrugged. "He's taking a break so my mom can get settled."

"Damn." I sighed.

"I'll let you Skype with him if your good." She laughed, pulling me back into the room.

"Oh boy!" I said, a little too loud because Charlie was glaring at me once we came around the curtain. "How're the pancakes, sir?"

"Delicious as always." He said, not looking at me. It probably wasn't a good idea to get caught drinking so many times and then begin dating his daughter. After they were done eating, I took the containers and threw them away outside of the room and walked back in where Bella was digging in her purse for something.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"Cash," She laughed. "I wanna go get some coffee down at the cafeteria."

"Here," I smiled, kissing her cheek. "Go get some real coffee."

"Jasper, cafeteria coffees fine." She whispered. "Plus, I don't have a car here.

"Take mine." I insisted. "I'll stay here with him."

"Okay," She finally sighed. "Daddy, do you want anything?"

"Grande coffee...black." He said gruffly.

"Okay, I'll be right back." She said, turning to me and pecking me on the lips. Once the door shut, Charlie turned towards me, and only glared. I tried to ignore it, but I could feel his eyes literally going right through me.

"I don't like you." He finally said. "And I want you to stay away from my daughter." And, now we had a problem.

"Sir, with all due respect...I'm not going to stay away from Bella. She's he best thing...that's ever happened to me."

"You've known her for a week." He pointed out. "And you aren't good enough for her."

"Sir, I know I don't have the best...record." I gulped. "But, just because I party sometimes doesn't mean I'm a bad kid."

"Oh yeah?" He asked.

"Yeah, I graduated in the top ten in my class." I told him. "I was accepted into to Columbia University."

"But, you aren't going to college."

"No, I'm doing something bigger than that." I told him. "I know I'm never going to be your favorite person, but I'm not going to stay away from Bella."

"She's only sixteen." He pointed out. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah." I shrugged. "Why?"

"Because, even though you can do whatever you want...doesn't mean she can." He said, a smile forming. "If I tell her she has to stay away from you, she has to listen."

"Sir, please." I pleaded as the door opened and Bella walked in, carrying the drinks.

"Here you go, dad." She smiled, handing him the coffee cup. She handed me my iced coffee and sat down next to him. Knowing I'd overstayed my welcome, I pulled Bella out of the room and gave her a kiss goodbye before heading out to my truck. I jumped in and hit the steering wheel. I didn't can't that we'd only known each other for a week, I was falling for her.

Bella was a good kid. I could tell. And I knew that even though her and her father didn't have the closet relationship, she'd listen to him and stop seeing me. I didn't want this to be over...it hadn't even begun yet. I was nearly in tears by the time I pulled into the driveway.


	8. Blink of an Eye

**Chapter Seven: Blink of an Eye**

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"I'll call you later." Jasper said as he kissed me goodbye at the hospital after my dad's accident. I gave him another quick kiss and reluctantly let me go. But, as I watched him speed-walk out of the hospital, I knew my dad had said something to him. I walked back into his room where he was perched up against some more pillows, sipping his coffee and reading a magazine Jasper had brought this morning.

"How's the coffee?" I asked as I sat down.

"Good," He smiled. I thought he was going to say something to me about what happened while I was gone, but when he didn't, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

"Dad, what did you say to Jasper?" I asked. "While I was gone."

"I told him he needed to stay away from you." He told me, putting the magazine down.

"Dad," I whined. "Why?"

"I don't like him, Bells. Plain and simple." He shrugged. "But, then I realized I wasn't his father and he is eighteen...he can do whatever he wants to."

"But, what's the catch?"

"You, however, are not eighteen, and I am your father." He pointed out. "I don't want you seeing him, Bella."

"What? Why?"

"He isn't a good kid." He said simply.

"Why, because he gets drunk sometimes?" I asked. "That doesn't say anything about him, dad!"

"Bella, I don't like him." He said. "I don't want you with him."

"I don't care." I sighed, standing up and grabbing my bag. "You've never been a father to me before...don't try and start now!" I shouted as I opened the door and headed out to the parking lot. It wasn't until I was standing on the sidewalk, that I remembered I didn't have a car, or really know where I was. I checked my watch and saw Jasper would be at work already, and pulled out my phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Emmett." I sighed, sitting down on the bench near the doors. "Do you have to be at work soon?"

"Not for another hour. What's up, Bella?" He asked, his voice filling with concern.

"I...I need you to come get me." I whispered. "Jasper's at work or I wouldn't bother you."

"It isn't a bother." He assured me. "Where are you at?"

"Memorial Hermann." I told him, and heard him gasp on the other line. "I'm fine, my dad just got hurt last night on the job. He's fine."

"Okay, you need to talk about it?" He asked and I heard him opening their big, wooden front door.

"Maybe when you get here." I sighed, hanging up the phone. It didn't take long for him to get there and I was never happier to see his jeep. He helped me inside and then, climbed in next to me. He began driving towards the main road and we hadn't even been driving for thirty seconds before I began to tell him what happened.

"I can't stop seeing him, Emmett." I sighed. "I mean, you of all people should know."

"I get it, and I wasn't going to give you a lecture or anything, Bella." He told me. "I know how hard is to be dating someone...and being disapproved of. It's really hard on Ali to continually lie to her parents."

"I can't imagine how you two make it work." I sighed, shaking my head.

"I love her." He shrugged. "It helps that Ali and Rosalie are so close because she uses that as an excuse to come over a lot. Rosalie's really good to both of us...she's always willing to cover for us...we'd be screwed if I didn't have my sister on our side."

"Yeah, well...I'm not lucky enough to have that." I sighed, looking out the window. I wasn't going to stop seeing Jasper, and my father could just get over that. "Can you drop me off at the diner? I wanna talk to Jasper."

"Sure." He smiled as he turned onto the road leading to the diner. He parked in the back, and I went through the kitchen with Emmett. I found Jasper in the break room, his back towards me, looking completely defeated.

"Jasper?" I whispered, causing him to jump and turn around. "Hi,"

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to talk to you." I whispered, sitting down next to him. He finally lifted his head, meeting my gaze, and when I looked closer, he looked as if he'd been crying. "I'm not listening to my father."

"Bella,"

"He's never been a real father to me." I pointed out. "The most contact I'd had with him was phone calls and cards on my birthday and Christmas. He can't just try to be a dad to me now when I'm doing something he doesn't approve of."

"But, it's not like it'd be easy to sneak around."

"So, we won't." I shrugged. "I'm not listening to him, Jasper. You aren't losing me."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise." I smiled, leaning in and kissing him gently. "We're going to be fine."

"You wanna get out of here?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" I laughed as I snuggled into his side.

"Let's just go." He sighed. "I mean, I'll get my truck, we can pack a bag and just go."

"To where?" I asked.

"My family has a cabin about an hour away. Let's go. Please?" He begged. "I'll have Emmett or Rosalie keep an eye on your dad." He said, and I smiled, finally nodding. I loved my dad, but I wasn't giving Jasper up yet and I just wanted to be with him. He went and told his dad that he wasn't feeling good and he was going to head home. He drove me to my house, and I packed a bag and we headed out.

An hour later, Jasper was pulling into a long, gravel road and suddenly, a beautiful house came into view. He finally stopped the truck, and got out and came around to help me out. I just starred in awe as he grabbed our bags from the back. It was big, but not as big as their house back home.

"My dad built this when Rosalie and I were two." He told me as he led me up the walkway. "We come here every Christmas Break and almost three times a summer."

"He built this?" I asked as he unlocked the front door.

"Well, not by himself...he had help." He laughed. "But, yeah, him and my uncle...and a few dozen contractors."

"Wow," I sighed as he led me inside. Thankfully, it wasn't one of those creepy lake houses with all the animal heads hanging on the walls and a ton of animal print everywhere. It was almost exactly like their house back home. Spacious, but very comfortable. "This is...beautiful."

"My mom decorated it." He told me. "I remember there were countless times when Rosalie and I were younger that she would bring us up here to decorate."

"Wow," I sighed again. He led us up the steps and into a room with two, twin beds and a dresser with a desk.

"This is the room Emmett and I share when we stay here." He told me. "But, now I normally sleep on the pull out couch downstairs."

"Why?"

"He usually spends half the night texting or talking to Ali...and I'm kind of a light sleeper." He explained. "I could here the clicking of the keys when he'd be texting her."

"Good to know." I laughed as he pulled me back downstairs.

"Well, we'd have to go to the store to get anything like meat or cheese, but we should have something to tie us over until we wanna do that." He told me as we looked in the pantry. We decided to wait for a while before leaving and went upstairs to change into our suits. He wore the same one he had to the pool, and I smiled as he walked out of the bathroom.

"What?" He asked.

"I just...I like that suit."

"I know." He smiled. "Why do you think I packed this one?" He laughed, grabbing his towel and leading me downstairs and outside, down the small dock. We laid our towels out at the edge, and sat down on them, and I snuggled into his side.

"This really is beautiful." I sighed once the sun began to set slightly. The light was perfectly reflecting off the water, and the trees were also reflecting in the water.

"I'm glad you like it." He whispered, kissing the top of my head. I snuggled deeper into his side and sighed in contentment. This moment. Right here, with Jasper next to me, was the kodak perfect moment. I wouldn't admit it for a while, but I was falling in love with him.

"I wanna know you." I whispered, sitting up and looking at him. "I wanna know your favorite color. Food. Childhood memory. Deepest secret. I wanna know you for more than the boy next door."

"My favorite color is aqua blue...which is why the t-shirts at the diner are aqua," He smiled. "Anything my mama makes is my favorite food, but I really love her fried chicken and potato's. The best childhood memory...would have to be...coming here for the first time." He smiled. "It was finished when Rosalie and I had just turned four and my dad taught us how to swim in this very lake."

"That's nice." I smiled, wishing my dad had been there when I learned how to swim.

"Yeah, until Emmett did a cannonball...causing me to go under and nearly choked to death." He laughed. "Mama had to do CPR. Emmett was grounded for a week."

"Sounds about right." I laughed. "Tell me more."

"My deepest secret?" He asked, and I nodded. He took a deep breath and looked out to the other side of the lake. "I had a girlfriend last year. Her name was Quinn."

"Okay?"

"We were crazy about each other, and we were careful." He whispered. "Most of the time."

"And?" I asked, not understanding where he was going.

"I...I got her pregnant, Bella." He sighed, and my mouth only dropped. No he did not. "We were drunk, and careless one night."

"So...do you...do you have a kid?"

"No." He shook his head, still refusing to look at me. "She had an abortion three weeks after finding out. We'd just agreed it was time to tell our parents and begin preparing for the baby...but decided it was too much for her. She couldn't be 'that girl' and had her cousin drive her to her appointment."

"Did you know?" I asked. "That she was going to do that?"

"No," He cried. "I didn't know until I was talking to her about how to tell our parents...a week after she'd had it done."

"Jasper..."

"No one knows." He said, finally looking at me. "Not even Rosalie or Emmett. That's why she moved. She decided she couldn't stand to be around me and begged her father to transfer locations."

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," I whispered, touching my hand to his. He looked up at me and gave me a weak smile before looking out at the lake again.

"I wanted to name it Annie if it were a girl." He whispered. "After Annie G. Fox. Quinn and I were put together for a project on her...it brought us together."

"I'm not going anywhere." I assured him, suddenly realizing why my fathers words scared him so much. He was afraid of losing another person he cared about, and after hearing his story...I didn't blame him. I would be afraid to. "I know we're going to have to say goodbye in August...but I'm here. For the summer. For more if we want. I'm not going anywhere, Jasper."

"Promise me?" He practically begged.

"I promise." I sighed. "You aren't losing me."

"Good, because...I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He smiled, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. "Your turn." He laughed.

"My turn?" I asked.

"I wanna know your favorite color and food."

"Okay," I smiled. "I love purple...always have. My mother has never been a good cook, and I normally do all of the cooking...but my specialty and favorite is pasta with pesto on it. Best childhood memory...when my mother took me out of school in fifth grade and took me to the beach for four days."

"Why?" He asked with a laugh.

"Her boss was pissing her off and she just needed to get away." I laughed, remembering her storming into my classroom and taking me with her. "And she didn't wanna leave me without saying goodbye, so she took me with her."

"Good mother." He whispered. "I love mama, but she would never do that."

"It only happened once, but...it was amazing."

"Deepest secret?" He asked.

"I'm really a prostitute." I whispered, causing both of us to break out into a fit of laughter. "Anyway, I...I know this sounds lame after what you told me..but I don't really have a deep secret." I shrugged. "I mean...I got hammered at a friends house and ended kissing her father when I got up to go to the bathroom...but that's about it."

"Really?" He asked, stifling his laugh. "Was he at least cute?"

"I mean, on the cuter side...but he was no George Clooney." I laughed. "But, I promise, if I ever do something really bad in the future...you'll be the first to know."

"Good, that's all I ask." He whispered. "You wanna get in? I'm getting kinda hot." He said, standing up and jumping into the water, splashing me...soaking me.

"I guess I don't have a choice now." I laughed, standing up and joining him in the water. The water wasn't too deep, but I still clung to his shoulders. He laughed as he grabbed my hips, pulling me into him. Suddenly, all the laughing stopped as our eyes met and his lips were on mine. I tightly wrapped my hands around his neck as he picked me up and wrapped my legs around his hips.

He deepened our kiss and I moaned into his mouth, grinding against him. I could feel him hardening underneath his swim trunks, and I knew I was getting more and more aroused.

"Shit," He whispered as I began grinding even harder against him. He walked us over to the edge of the lake, and lifted me out and placing me on the grassy embankment. He jumped out and rolled on top of me. He began kissing my neck, and then he made his way down my chest, stopping at my breasts. He lightly kissed each of them, and I could feel my nipples hardening.

He reached around and untied the top of my suit, around my neck and slid it off my body. He then began massaging one as he kissed the other until I thought I was going to explode.

"If you keep doing that," He whispered as he came up for air. "I'm going to cum."

"Doing what?" I asked as I looked down. I then realized that I'd been stroking him through his trunks, and giggled as I pulled away. "Sorry."

"Never be sorry for that." He laughed as his hands caught my bottoms and pulled them down my legs, leaving me bare out in the open. I used my feet to push his trunks down, and I smiled as he lined himself up at my entrance. He slid into my slowly, allowing me time to adjust to him. I nodded and he began to gently pump into me.

"Fuck," I moaned as his pace quickened. "Jasper. Please." I begged, wanting more of him.

"You sure?" He asked, and I only nodded. I didn't miss the smile on his face before he leaned in, kissing me, as he began to pump harder. I arched my back, causing him to go even deeper inside of me. "Fuck!" He hissed as his eyes shut with pleasure.

"Jasper!" I moaned. "Oh! Jasper...I'm gonna cum!" I moaned as I exploded. I had been so wrapped in how I was feeling, I didn't even realize he came, and fell limp on top of me.

"That was...incredible." He breathed as he rolled off of me, pulling me close to his side. He reached around to the dock that was only a few feet away and grabbed his towel, covering both of us.

"Thank you for bringing me here." I whispered after we had both calmed down.

"Thank you for coming with me." He smiled, kissing the top of my head. Jasper and I laid there together for what seemed like hours, even though it'd only been a few minutes. But, our paradise didn't last long because just as we were about to get up, I heard someone clearing their throat. Jasper stilled in my arms and I turned my head to see Emmett and Carlisle standing there. Emmett had the smuggest look on his face, while Carlisle just looked...angry.

"Watcha doin'?" Emmett asked after a few awkward seconds of silence.

"Nothing." Jasper growled, pulling his trunks on and handing me my suit. "What are you two doing here?"

"I promised Emmett we'd go fishing when he was done in Italy." Carlisle seethed. "You know...father son fishing?"

"Yeah." Jasper whispered as I tied my suit back, and stood up, taking Jasper's hand.

"What are you doing here?" Carlisle asked. "That's the better question."

"Isn't it obvious, dad?" Emmett laughed. But, Carlisle's glare shut him up and he just looked down at the ground.

"We just...wanted to get away." He sighed.

"Jasper Daniel..." Carlisle began, but I stepped in.

"This was my idea, Mr. Cullen." I told him. "I asked to just...get away with Jasper. He had nothing to do with this. Don't...don't blame him."

"Jasper?"

"Yeah," He nodded after I'd given him a look not to tell him the truth. "I thought she'd like to see the cabin."

"I don't wanna...see...this again." Carlisle sighed as he and Emmett went up into the house.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that." He laughed as he pulled me into the house. "Don't worry, these father/son fishing trips only last two days. It's a tradition we've had since we were little, but our attention span only allowed us to have two days worth of it."

"I doesn't matter to me." I shrugged as we opened the back door.


	9. Acts Like Summer

**Chapter Eight: Acts Like Summer**

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"I am so sorry," I mumbled as we changed out of our bathing suits. "I had no idea they'd be coming up here."

"It's fine, Jasper." She laughed. "It was...kinda funny."

"Funny?" I asked, unable to understand how she thought this was funny. "How?"

"Just...being caught." She laughed. "It was so...cliche."

"Well...fine." I huffed, knowing she was right about it being cliche. We finished getting dressed and then went downstairs to grab my keys so we could get food from the store. I avoided my father and only texted Emmett, telling him we were leaving. I helped her into my truck and we headed off to the small grocery store down the road from the cabin.

"So, what do you think we should get?" I asked, grabbing her hand and leading her into the small grocery store.

"Something simple." She sighed. "I'm sure your dad isn't really in the cooking mood right now."

"Chicken to grill and some green beans?"

"Sounds amazing." She smiled, squeezing my hand. We found four lean chicken breasts and gathered some fresh green beans and some Oreo's before heading to the check out counter. As we waited in line, I realized how hard I was falling for Bella. After Quinn and the baby, I didn't think I'd even want another serious relationship.

But, Bella made things so simple. She was completely understanding when I told her about the baby and she didn't push me to talk about it. She laughed when my father caught us after having sex and was still willing to stay up at the cabin while he was there. It was so easy to talk to her. Talking to people, letting people in was a hard thing for me. Especially after Quinn moved.

Bella was different though. I didn't want to admit it yet, afraid it'd scare her off but, I was falling in love with her. However, I had a pretty good feeling she was feeling the same way about me. I mean, she let me take her virginity and that was something special.

"You ready?" She asked as she grabbed one of the bags. I smiled at her and put my wallet back in my pocket before grabbing the other bags and heading out to my truck.

My father had calmed down a lot by the time we got home and even offered to grill the chicken for us. I knew I'd be getting a mouthful from him and my mother later, but I was thankful he wan't yelling at me in front of Bella. Once everything was done, the four of us brought everything out onto the porch and watched as the sun dipped into the water.

"Beautiful." Bella whispered as the sky turned pink. I squeezed her hand and went back to listening to what my father and Emmett were talking about.

After dinner, Emmett helped Bella and I clean up while my dad went out to the dock.

"You really pissed him off." Emmett warned as he put dishes away.

"I know, thanks for the heads up, genius." I spat. He was smart, but he could be really dumb sometimes.

"I just wanted to give you a warning, ass." He huffed back. When I turned back to the sink, Bella had disappeared somewhere, but I found her standing next to my dad, talking to him. "She's brave."

"Yeah, but he likes her so I'd rather her say something than me." I laughed.

"He does seem to like her." He agreed. "More than Quinn anyway."

"He likes everyone more than Quinn." I laughed. He hated Quinn, even before she broke my heart. She came back inside ten mintes later, and didn't say a word to me. Whatever happened out there, she was keeping between them and I respected that.

"What do you wanna do?" I asked after my father had come back inside and ignored that I was even there. I was really going to get it weather or not Bella talked to him.

"Can we go for a walk?" She asked, grabbing my hand. "Along the water?"

"Sure," I smiled, kissing her cheek as she pulled me outside. The moon light was enough to guide us to the edge of the water and she removed her flip-flops. We began slowly walking along the water, hand in hand, and I was just enjoying our time together.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked after we'd been walking for a while.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanna know because it's been bugging me for a while."

"Okay?"

"Did you...have sex with me because you felt like you had to because I wasn't a virgin and you were?" I asked. It had been in the back of my mind since it happened and I had to know. "Or were you really ready?"

"A little of both, I guess." She told me and I was happy she was honest with me. "But, it was more because I was ready."

"But...why me?" I asked. "Why not with someone you've known and been dating forever? Like the guy you were with before you came here?"

"Because..." She stuttered. "I didn't feel like it was right with him."

"We barely know each other."

"I know." She sighed. "But, I've never felt so close to anyone before, Jasper. Having sex with you...having you be my first was right."

"I think I'm falling in love with you." I suddenly whispered, making her breath catch. I'd jusr scared her away.

"I feel the same way." She smiled after a while, making my heart beat faster than ever. I leaned in and brushed her lips against mine and she reached her hands up and grabbed a fistful of hair, like always. We stood there under the moon for what seemed like hours, just kissing and holding each other.

"We should get back." She said as she broke us apart. "I don't want you to get into anymore trouble."

"That would be bad." I laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the cabin.

* * *

The next two days flew by. My dad and Emmett gave the two of us space, but not enough space. Bella and I couldn't do anything with them right down at the lake. But we made the best of it and Charlie only called once. Bella was able to lie her way out of why she couldn't come visit him and he bought it.

But, after two days together our mini vacation was over and we had to leave. My father wasn't leaving Bella and I alone so I could 'get her pregnant' His words, not mine. However, it was enough time for her to clear her head and when she went to get Charlie at the hospital, she wasn't fuming anymore.

"Are you sure you don't want me to just drive you guys home?" I asked as we sat outside of the hospital together. "It'll be easier than calling a cab."

"He doesn't like you, Jazz." She shrugged. "He wouldn't like it."

"It's just a favor." I huffed. He was starting to get on my nerves.

"I know, but he's in pain and I don't wanna piss him off anymore." She shrugged. I gave in and gave her a kiss before letting her jump out. I watched as she got inside and put my truck into Drive and headed towards the diner for my shift. The lunch rush was just getting started when I got there. Perfect.

"Hi, Jasper." Bree greeted as I walked in the front door. "Think the uniform suits me?"

"Yeah, looks good." I laughed. "When did you start working here?"

"Today." She laughed. "Your dad called me last night. Thanks."

"Anytime." I laughed as I headed to my dads office to put my things down and grabbed my pen and notebook before heading out into the dining room. It was packed by the time I started taking orders and the day dragged on forever. The only contact I had with Bella was her text saying she'd gotten home safely.

"We're going to have a talk when we get home, mister." My mother whispered darkly into my ear as I picked up an order for a table. "Don't think you've gotten away with it."

"I didn't." I sighed. I knew my dad wouldn't let this get past my mother. My shift was extra long that day since I picked up Riley's shift since he still had 'food poisoning' By the time I got home, I was absolutely exhausted and so not in the mood to be lectured.

They let me shower and change first before sitting me down on the couch to lecture me. This was not going to be fun.

"Jasper Daniel Cullen." My mother nearly yelled as she stood up and paced the room. "I don't even know where to start with you. First you go up to that cabin without anyone knowing. You leave your father short handed at the diner while you're 'sick' You bring a girl alone up to the cabin. Then you...engage in sex on the lake shore."

"Bella was pissed at her dad." I shrugged. "And I was nearly having a panic attack because I thought we weren't going to be allowed to see each other again. I messed up."

"Yeah, Charlie called here asking for her a few times." She sighed. "You didn't tell him where you were going?"

"No," I shrugged. "I told you she was pissed at him."

"Jasper, that isn't your business to get involved with." My dad piped in. "They don't look like they have a super awesome relationship..."

"They don't have a relationship at all, dad." I spat. "He hasn't seen her since her mom took her when she moved upstate."

"Exactly so let them mend what's left of a relationship." My mother suggested. "Do what you want with her...you always have...but don't you dare get in the middle of them. Understand?"

"Understood." I sighed, giving in. My mom wasn't going to let it go and I had to just give in. After being lectured for another twenty minutes about how what I did was wrong, I was finally able to go to bed.

Thankfully, I had the next day off and so did Bella. But, she must have came clean about where she was because she wasn't allowed to do anything for the rest of the day. So, I decided to sulk around the house. I didn't change out of my PJ's, I ate cereal for breakfast and lunch and just watched TV.

I hadn't had a lazy day in forever..it was my turn to have one.

"Where are you going?" I asked Rosalie as I was making myself dinner when she came downstairs in a skimpy skirt and low cut top. No way in hell was she going out in that.

"Out." She huffed as she grabbed her keys. But, I was quicker than she was and made it to the door before she did. I stepped in front and blocked her way, and she looked like she was about to explode. "What the hell is your problem."

"What the hell are you wearing, Rosalie?" I asked.

"Clothes, now move or I'll make you." She warned, but I was almost twice her size. She didn't scare me. "Jasper!"

"Go change!"

"You aren't the boss of me!" She yelled. "Move!"

"No." I told her. "Where are you going?"

"Out with Vera and Hailey." She lied. Rosalie looked to the left of someones eyes when she was lying. I looked to the right...so I've been told.

"You're lying."

"Get out of my way, Jasper!" She shouted, stepping on my foot with her thin heel.

"Fuck!" I cursed as I bent down to grab my foot. While I was distracted, she moved past me and was able to leave without me interfering anymore. By the time I was up, she was already halfway down the street. I just wanted to protect her and I didn't like the fact that she was lying to me.

"Damn," I sighed as I closed the door and went to the microwave to get my dinner. She was obviously able to take care of herself and didn't need my help. She'd be fine. But as I ate, I couldn't help the gnawing at my stomach that she was going somewhere she shouldn't be.

I shook it off when Bella called. We talked for hours and didn't even stop when I heard my parents come home.

"So, what did you eat for dinner?" She asked. I couldn't cook. At all.

"I had one of those Lean Cuisine things." I laughed. "It was perfection."

"Good," She laughed as call waiting beeped in since my phone was taken away from me after getting home from the cabin.

"Hold on, Bells." I sighed, switching over to the other line. "Hello?"

"Jasper, where are your parents?" A mans voice that I recognized to be Charlie's asked.

"What's going on?" I asked, my mind immediately racing to Rosalie.

"Your sisters in bad shape, Jasper." He whispered. "We found her in an alley way behind the club Venue."

"You what?" I asked as I stopped at my door, feeling my legs turn to jelly. "What's wrong with her?"

"She was beaten pretty badly, Jasper." He sighed. "They just left with her to go to the hospital, but I need to talk to your parents now, Jasper."

"Mom!" I yelled out, but no sound came out because she didn't come upstairs and I heard the TV go on. "Mom," I cried. I couldn't move, but my parents had to know. My sister...my Rosalie was hurt somewhere and I wasn't there to protect her.

I finally was able to pull myself up and walk downstairs, only handing the phone to my father before sitting down on the couch. I was numb. Numb with fear, nausea, anger that someone could do that to my sister. My mother broke out into tears as my father's face turn ghostly white. After hanging up, they grabbed their keys and I followed, unsure of what to do.

My father drove at lightning speed to the hospital as my mother called Emmett to let him know what was happening. She was barely able to say hello to him. I followed them into the hospital and the nurse told us Rosalie was in surgery. Finally, Chief Swan walked inside and approached us.

"Please tell me my girl wasn't shot." My dad pleaded as my mother hugged his side, refusing to show her face.

"No, there were no guns involved." He told us. "But, she was beat up pretty badly."

"Why is she in surgery then?" I asked.

"I don't know, Jasper. Sorry." He whispered. "Bella's on her way over." He told me as my mother cried into my father's chest.

"Thanks."

"She's coming with Emmett." He informed us before a call came over his radio. He excused himself to go outside as Emmett and Bella came rushing inside.

"What the hell is going on?" Emmett demanded to know as he paced wildly around the waiting room. "Why won't they tell us anything?"

"Emmett, sweetie, try and relax." My mother whispered as her and my father sat down.

"Relax?" He asked, sounding baffled. "How can I relax now, Mama? Rosalie's in the hospital."

"And if you want to give your mother a heart attack, keep freaking out." My father huffed, finally getting Emmett to sit down. I sat down with Bella, resting my head on her shoulder and forcing myself not to cry. I had to keep it together or I wouldn't be able to recover. After two agonizing hours, a doctor finally came out with information about Rosalie.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" He asked softly, and I looked up to find him still wearing the blue scrubs. "I'm Dr. Golden, Rosalie's surgeon."

"How is she?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

"Well, whoever beat her broke quite a few ribs and some of them punctured her right lung." He explained. "The lung collapsed on the ride to the hospital."

"Oh, god." My mother cried.

"We went in and we were able to remove the air from her lung and a chest tube was put in place." He explained.

"How is she doing?" My father asked.

"She's young and healthy." He smiled. "She's going to be able recover from this. She's going to be in the hospital for at least four days and it will be a couple of weeks until she's up and about."

"Can we see her?" Emmett asked, and he was finally calm.

"Yes." He said. "She's still a little groggy from the medication and I must warn you...she doesn't look good."

"How bad?" Bella asked.

"She has a black eye, broken nose wrist and collar bone along with four broken ribs." He explained. "And she's got bruises, cuts and swelling all over her body. Your daughter is lucky to be alive right now."

"Thank you, Dr. Golden."

"And, I must warn you," He sighed as we approached the door. "The baby didn't make it."

"The baby?" I asked.

"She looked to be about eight weeks pregnant."

"Right," My father gulped as we opened the door to Rosalie's room. My knees buckled beneath me when I saw my twin laying helplessly in a hospital bed. She looked like she'd been hit by a truck and then some. Her right arm was wrapped in a purple cast, her left arm was in a sling and the doctor was right. She looked lucky to be alive.

She slowly opened her good eye and looked over at us and smiled.

"I messed up." She whispered, looking only at me.

"Rosalie," I cried, gently grabbing her hand.


	10. Already Figured Out

**Chapter Nine: Already Figured Out**

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I drove Emmett and Jasper home after the accident since their parents decided to spend the night with Rosalie. The car ride was and eerie silence, but I wasn't going to push them. Whoever did that to Rosalie was seriously sick in the head and they deserved to die for what happened. She looked so small and helpless and when I heard the baby she didn't even know she had died, my heart broke into a million pieces.

She was refusing to say who it was who'd beat her, but Jasper told me she'd come around eventually. I pulled into their driveway and Emmett bolted out of the car, not wanting to deal with it. Jasper sat with me while he tried to regroup and finally turned to me and gave me a sad smile.

"Come in with me?" He begged and I gave into him, even though I knew I'd be hearing from Charlie when I skipped curfew. We walked inside and went straight up to his room.

"I'm thirsty." He announced once he was changed and gave me one of his shirts to sleep in. "I'll be back."

"Okay," I smiled. I didn't know how to be around him right now. I didn't know how well he handled bad situations and I was afraid to find out. I didn't want to push him to talk, but I dind't want him to bottle it up either. So, I just stayed sitting on his bed, looking around his room. I'd been in here a few times before, but I'd never had the chance to really look at it.

He had a family portrait mounted on the wall next to his door and it looked recent and I smiled at Rosalie as she smiled brightly into the camera. I was afraid that was gone forever. Emmett was grinning happily and Jasper was just giving his signature, make me go weak at the knees smile. I then turned to look at the shelf of books he had stacked on the shelf and moved closer to see what he like to read.

_To Kill a Mockingbird. The Great Gatsby. 1984. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Moby Dick. Treasure Island._

Some of the most classic novels were sitting on his shelf and I smiled with pride for some reason. He was smart and I knew he did really well in school, but to know he spent some of his free time reading classics just made me happy. Like we were kind of meant to be with each other. I turned to see the stack of dirty laundry overflowing in his basket and shook my head. So he wasn't as neat as he led on.

Everything about his room let me know him a little better. It gave me a better sense of who Jasper really was and he really was my perfect guy. And I was lucky to have him. After I was done snooping, I looked at the clock and realized he'd been gone for a good half hour and I was getting worried. I was about to go look for him when the door burst open and he stumbled inside.

A half empty bottle of _Jack Daniels_ in his hand.

"Are you snooping?" He slurred a bit.

"A little." I smiled, trying not to get nervous over the fact he'd been drinking the entire time he was downstairs. I didn't realize _thirsty_ meant _I want alcohol._

"Well, don't let me stop you." He said, sitting down next to me. I could smell the Whisky on his breath. "My dad was out of beer, so I went with the really good stuff."

"Jasper," I sighed, reaching for the bottle but he just pulled back.

"I don't think you'll like whisky, baby." He slurred, putting the bottle on the nightstand and moved his lips to my neck. He began leaving sloppy kisses up my neck until his lips found my lips. Without warning, he forced himself on top of my as he pushed me down onto his bed.

"Jasper," I cried, trying to push him off of me as his lips meant mine in the worst kiss we'd ever shared. He shoved his tongue into my mouth and began groping my breast as I continued to try and push him off. His lips moved back down my neck and to the top of my breast as he moved his hands to cup my core. This was not turning me on and I felt completely violated.

"Jasper, stop!" I yelled, finally pushing him off of me after he'd gotten the t-shirt over my head. I pushed him so her was on his feet before his door swung open. Emmett took one look at Jasper and then me and rushed over to my side.

"Are you okay?" He asked, cupping my face as tears started streaming down my face. Whoever that was, it wasn't my Jasper sitting on the bed. It was someone else and I didn't like drunk Jasper. I was fearful of him.

"Yeah," I choked out as Emmett was shoved away from me.

"Get away from her, Em!" Jasper slurred as he reached around and tried unhooking my bra. I was able to push him away again as Emmett came and created a barrier between me and Jasper.

"Jasper, she said no." He yelled. "Now STOP!"

"She's my girlfriend!"

"And you're acting like a fucking pig." He snapped. "Now leave her alone!" Before I could do anything, Jasper swung at Emmett, hitting him clear in the jaw. Emmett fell down to his knees as he put his hand up to where Jasper had punched it, and I could see it already bruising.

"Don't touch her again."

"What the fuck, Jazz?!" Emmett yelled as he stood up. "Are we twelve again? Fighting for the girl after school?"

"No, but get out!" He yelled. "Bella and I were in the middle of something."

"No _you_ were in the middle of something." He spat as he turned to me and gave me the t-shirt back, pulling me out of the room. He tried to lead me to his room, but I pulled him down the stairs to get him ice. I sat him down on one of the stools at the island and went to the freezer and found an ice pack.

"He normally isn't like this when he's drunk." Emmett defended. "He's normally really horny, but stupid. He's never mean."

"It's fine." I lied. I was actually really shaken up by what he tried to do.

"No it isn't." He argued. "I just don't want you to give up on him because of this. It's been a real bad night and Jasper is just itching to get his hands on whoever did this. He took his anger out on the whisky and then you."

"I'm not breaking up with him because of this." I assured him. "I'm just going to go home and maybe ignore him tomorrow."

"Don't ignore him or he won't make it through this." He warned. "Jasper shuts down in bad situations and Rosalie is the one to normally keep him on track."

"Deal, but I am going home."

"By all means." He smiled. I went upstairs to thankfully find Jasper passed out and changed into my clothes before going home. Charlie wasn't home yet so I was free to just go upstairs to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Emmett texted me saying he was taking Jasper to the hospital and practically begged me to come. I reluctantly agreed because I didn't want to see him or deal with him yet. I wasn't ready. But, I was going because Emmett asked me and Rosalie needed me. This was about her and not him.

It was a short drive to the hospital and Rosalie had been moved and my dad was in the room with her when I got there.

"Do you know the person who did this?" My father asked as everyone stayed back.

"No," She cried.

"You're lying Rosalie." Jasper sighed. "You were looking to the right of his eyes."

"I didn't know him, Jasper." She spat as loud as she could. She was so weak and it broke my heart.

"Rosalie, if you know him, you have to tell us." My father whispered. "We want to put this guy in jail for what he did to you."

"Guys, can I talk to her?" I asked "Alone?"

"Bells," My dad started to argue.

"Leave, please." She spoke up and everyone followed her wishes. Once the door was closed, I sat in the seat Emmett had vacated by her bedside and just looked at the painting of a beach on the wall. I smiled at it and for some reason, gave me the courage I needed to talk to her.

"Rosalie, I get it." I sighed. "I get what it's like to have the shit beat out of you."

"How?" She asked, looking baffled.

"Last summer, right before I turned sixteen I had the crap beat out of me." I sighed. "Mike and I were taking a break from each other and I went out with my best friend, Angela. Well, we went to one of the clubs you went to last night, an eighteen and below club. And when we got there I met this really good looking...older guy. James.

"We started dancing and although Angela tried warning me to stay away, I just wanted to have fun. We were the good girls who never really...did anything. So after the night was over we exchanged numbers and started talking. My mother had no idea I was dating someone else...she thought I was still crying over Mike. So we secretly met and I felt like I was on cloud nine because he'd pick me up in his beat up old Ford and we'd go to the woods or an abandoned wearhouse and drink and make out and stuff.

"Anyway, this went on for the rest of July and some of August until one night he got tired of waiting for me. I knew we weren't exclusive and there wasn't a label on our relationship. I knew he was having sex with other girls but for some reason that didn't go off as a red flag in my head, staying he wasn't a good guy. Anyway, he got tired of my holding out on him.

"He wasn't happy at all and one night as we stood outside to get some fresh air, he tried to get under my shirt and up my skirt. I kept pushing him away, but that only turned him on more. Desperate to get away, I ended up kneeing him right in the balls. After standing back up, he raced after me, furious. He broke my hand, wrist five ribs and...he pulled a knife on me."

"Oh," She cried.

"He sliced my throat open." I said, pointing out a pink scar going clear across my throat. "Thankfully, he missed anything important, but the doctors said if he'd cut any lower I'd be dead. I'd never been so thankful for biker guys looking for a shortcut to beat the red light. If it weren't for them, I would hae bled to death in that ally way."

"Why are you telling me this, Bella?"

"Because I was scarred too." I cried. "I didn't want to tell anyone, fearing that if I did he'd come back and really kill me that time. But after three months, I finally came clean about who it was."

"What happened?"

"James skipped town." I shrugged. "They still haven't found him and are about to give up. The guy who almost killed me got away because I was to afraid of him coming back. But, he wouldn't be able to come back if they'd arrested him and locked him up. I'm afraid after an entire year that he's going to be lurking in some corner, ready to pounce."

"Royce." She whispered. "Royce King."

"Royce King?" I asked. "You mean the son of the wealthiest oil tycoons in Texas?"

"That's the one." She tried to laugh.

"Laughing hurts." I smiled.

"We weren't together." She defended. "We were just..._together_."

"I get it." I whispered. If I hadn't been so young and naive, I probably would have let James get in my pants. "I'm going to take a wild guess but it was his baby?"

"No," She whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I'd only been seeing Royce for a few weeks."

"Then whose was it?"

"Sam's." She whispered. "We were high school sweet hearts."

"Where is he now?"

"Studying abroad." She sighed. "He...he didn't wanna be tied down while he was in France so he broke up with me."

"You don't seem like you were recently broken up with."

"I finally picked my head up at graduation." She sighed. "He broke up with me right after I got pregnant."

"Oh,"

"Anyway it was his." She cried. "I was about to take a test before Royce went ballistic. I was going to the store to get one after I thought we were finished."

"Rosalie, you gotta tell my dad." I encouraged. "Or you're always going to be looking over your shoulder to see if he's there."

"Only your dad." She agreed. "Not everyone needs to know I was easy for Royce King."

"Deal."

"Can you be there when I tell him?" She asked.

"Of course."

I called my dad back into the room and Rosalie told him everything she'd told me. I was really proud how she stepped up and didn't leave anything out. I had never been so happy to see my dad fill out a police report. Once my dad left, the rest of her family came back inside and her mother gave me a big hug, thanking me for talking her into saying something.

"I'm just glad they're going to get him." I whispered. "But, you should know the baby wasn't his."

"Oh I know, Bella." She smiled. "I'd caught her and Sam together too many times to not know it was his."

"I should go." I smiled. "I'll see you later, Rosalie." I pushed the door opened and started down the hallway before someone grabbed my arm, not letting me move anywhere. I turned to see Jasper, his eyes full of regret and sadness for what he'd done. He didn't have to say anything, I knew how terrible he felt.

"Emmett told me what happened last night." He whispered. Apparently the alcohol had impaired his memory. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"I know you are." I cried, bringing him into a tight hug.

"I really am a stupid drunk...I mean I always get really horny, but I'm always real dumb." He cried into my shoulder. "I never wanted to hurt you or ruin what we have together. I felt sick when Emmett told me what I'd done to you and him."

"Well I think you might have hurt him more." I laughed. "Physically anyway."

"Please don't go anywhere." He pleaded, gripping me tighter. "Please."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jazz." I assured him. "I just needed you to come and apologize for yourself."

"I am so..."

"I know," I cut him off. "It was a bad night for all of us." After he'd finished crying, he finally lifted his head up and smiled at me. The real Jasper smile.

"What did you say to Rosalie to make her tell your dad who beat her?"

"Just...a story about me." I smiled. I didn't want to make him worry, but I trusted him enough to tell him the basic detail. "Something similar happened to me last summer and I didn't say anything."

"Bella,"

"The guy skipped town by the time I decided to say something and I'm still afraid he's going to come back for me."

"I'll protect you if he does." He offered, gripping my hips and pulling me close to him. "I'll protect you from any monsters."

"I know," I smiled, leaning in and brushing his lips against mine. "But, I really do have to go. My shift starts in like an hour."

"The diners closed." He laughed. "Until Rosalie's out of the hospital."

"Oh, that makes sense." I giggled, leaning in and kissing him again.

* * *

"Is Royce King going to jail?" I asked my dad on the way home that night.

"We're going to try." He sighed.

"Try?"

"Bella, he's the son of a very wealthy, very powerful man." He explained. "When we arrest him, daddy is going to have the best lawyers in the country on his case. His lawyer is going to try and play it off like Rosalie attacked him first..."

"That's a lie!" I defended.

"Bella, I know that and so does he." Charlie sighed. "But, his lawyer isn't going to let people think that way."

"Great so this guy almost kills Rosalie and he might be free?"

"That's the way our country works, Bella." He told me. "Innocent people go to jail and guilty ones walk away."

"I know everyone has the right to a fair trial, But Royce shouldn't." I cried. Tears began filling my eyes and I tried hard to pull it together. But, I was powerless against my emotions and I couldn't hold it in. "Rosalie didn't deserve that, dad."

"No one does, baby." He sighed as he pulled into our driveway and pulled me into his side. This was a new thing for us. He'd never been an emotional person who like showing too much affection. But, I was just so angry at Royce and upset about Rosalie I didn't question it.

After I calmed down, we went inside and ordered a pizza. He ate in front of the TV while I picked at my food before grabbing my shoes and heading down to the stream, just wanting peace and quiet.

"Rosalie told me who did that to her." I heard Jasper say as he sat down next to me. "She also told me who the father was."

"Good, you guys needed to know." I sighed as he put his arm around me and I slumped into his side.

"She only told me, Bella." He whispered. "My parents are still trying to get her to tell them."

"She will when she's ready."

"Bella?"

"Yeah, Jasper?"

"I'm still really sorry." He cried. "I should never have tried anything last night."

"I told you it was fine."

"And you were lying." He pointed out. "I want you to know that I would never do anything to ever hurt you. I promise. I had no idea about what happened and after hearing it from you, I felt like an even bigger ass."

"Jasper?"

"What?"

"I don't want to talk about that." I whispered, turning to face him as a tear streamed down my face. "That's in the past and I just...want to move past it. So please, just drop it and let go what happened last night. It's over and I trust that it won't happen again."

"You have my word." He promised, leaning in and gently pressing his lips to mine.

"I know," I smiled as he hugged me tightly.


End file.
